FRANK BWALYA, HAPUNDA TRADE JABS

Arnel Chitundu and Fulman Mukobeko

GOVERNMENT is suffering from a serious media lapse both at presidential and party level, Socialist Party Media Director Brian Hapunda has said.

But Frank Bwalya said it is not in order for the opposition to talk about how effective or ineffective the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) media communication committee is.

But speaking to The Scoop, Mr. Hapunda said it was visible that the UPND and Government had a weak presidential and party media team as evidenced by the way they had allegedly failed to educate Zambians on their party manifesto.

He said the UPND had also failed to sell the Government agenda, as evidenced by every day contradiction amongst themselves adding that the Government and party leaders were not meeting in statements as they spoke a different language.

He said there was too much inconsistency among members of the party.

But commenting on the matter, Mr. Bwalya said it was evident that opposition leaders like Mr. Hapunda were running out of ideas and had resorted to making noise after failing to provide credible checks and balances.

“I don’t know whether the opposition really has run out of what to talk about. There are a lot of things that they can focus on to engage the Government to provide checks and balances. It is not for them to talk about how effective the media committee of the party or the Government is. The effectiveness of the Government system can be judged by effective dissemination of information and the Government has been effectively communicating necessary information to the public.

“Every time the Cabinet makes important decisions and so on, they are communicated to the Zambian people. So, we don’t understand what the Socialist Party means by that…We don’t understand. Whether they mean that the Government is not communicating to the people, we don’t know,” Mr. Bwalya said.

He added: “In terms of the party, the way you communicate to the public when you are in Government, is to champion the projects that have been undertaken and programmes to advance development is what is on the party’s side has been happening. I am not a party spokesperson but I know that there are many people who are speaking to the public to make them aware. Ministers are in course of their duties.”