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| Zambia's Frank Bwalya charged over Michael Sata potato jibe | Zambia's Frank Bwalya charged over Michael Sata potato jibe |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An opposition politician in Zambia has been arrested and charged with defamation after he compared the president to a potato. | An opposition politician in Zambia has been arrested and charged with defamation after he compared the president to a potato. |
| Frank Bwalya allegedly described President Michael Sata as "chumbu mushololwa" on radio on Monday. | Frank Bwalya allegedly described President Michael Sata as "chumbu mushololwa" on radio on Monday. |
| The Bemba language phrase refers to a sweet potato that breaks when it is bent and is used to describe someone who does not listen to advice. | |
| Mr Bwalya faces a maximum jail term of five years if he is convicted. | Mr Bwalya faces a maximum jail term of five years if he is convicted. |
| He is a former pastor and supporter of Mr Sata. He now heads the opposition Alliance for a Better Zambia (ABZ) party. | He is a former pastor and supporter of Mr Sata. He now heads the opposition Alliance for a Better Zambia (ABZ) party. |
| Deputy Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo said Mr Bwalya had been arrested for making defamatory remarks against Mr Sata, state-run media reports. | Deputy Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo said Mr Bwalya had been arrested for making defamatory remarks against Mr Sata, state-run media reports. |
| 'King is naked' | 'King is naked' |
| "President Sata is the same old man who was on all radio stations defaming former Presidents Banda and Mwanawasa and nobody arrested him," said ABZ secretary-general Eric Chanda, the AFP news agency reports. | "President Sata is the same old man who was on all radio stations defaming former Presidents Banda and Mwanawasa and nobody arrested him," said ABZ secretary-general Eric Chanda, the AFP news agency reports. |
| Opposition National Restoration Party (NRP) leader Elias Chipimo demanded Mr Bwalya's release, saying he was a fearless politician. | Opposition National Restoration Party (NRP) leader Elias Chipimo demanded Mr Bwalya's release, saying he was a fearless politician. |
| "Zambia desperately needs leaders that will openly declare - when necessary - that 'the King is naked'," Mr Chipimo added in a statement. | "Zambia desperately needs leaders that will openly declare - when necessary - that 'the King is naked'," Mr Chipimo added in a statement. |
| The phrase "chumbu mushololwa" was not an insult, he added. | The phrase "chumbu mushololwa" was not an insult, he added. |
| "It describes a person who lacks flexibility and who like a potato [icumbu] will only break when you try to change their fixed ideas," he said. | "It describes a person who lacks flexibility and who like a potato [icumbu] will only break when you try to change their fixed ideas," he said. |
| In September, Nevers Mumba of the opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) was questioned by police after allegedly calling Mr Sata a liar. | In September, Nevers Mumba of the opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) was questioned by police after allegedly calling Mr Sata a liar. |
| In 2005, a Zambian man, Edward Longe, was sentenced to nine months in prison for insulting then-President Mwanawasa in a bar. | In 2005, a Zambian man, Edward Longe, was sentenced to nine months in prison for insulting then-President Mwanawasa in a bar. |
| In 2002, a newspaper editor was arrested for calling Mr Mwanawasa, who died in 2008, a "cabbage". | In 2002, a newspaper editor was arrested for calling Mr Mwanawasa, who died in 2008, a "cabbage". |
| The charges were subsequently dropped. | The charges were subsequently dropped. |