Zambia Republican Party president Wright Musoma has threatened Lusaka Radio Journalist Francis Chipalo, saying the scribe should be careful in the manner he asks questions.
This follows Chipalo’s question to members of the opposition among them, Musoma’s party, Christian Democratic Party headed by Danny Pule, Pastor Peter Chanda’s New Congress Party, Hector Sondo’s United for Better Zambia and the New Era Democratic party led by Exhilda Mwenya.
At a press briefing held Thursday morning in Lusaka, Chipalo asked the opposition leaders as to whether they had personal issues with President Hakainde Hichilema whom they had been criticizing when in opposition and even when in government.
The journalist also challenged the opposition leaders as to why Zambians should take them seriously.
But these questions appeared to have unsettled Musoma who told Chipalo “to be careful” in the manner he asks questions.
The opposition leader went on making allegations against an alleged murder of opposition cadres and when he was reminded that he was merely making allegations, the issue turned into an altercation between Chipalo and the opposition leaders whom the journalist reminded that they had attacked him a few years back when he asked them a similar question during the Patriotic Front reign.
This infuriated other journalists who offered solidarity to their colleague saying he was merely asking the right questions and should not be intimidated.
And Christian Democratic Party leader Danny Pule accused Chipalo of being a UPND spokesperson before the reporter walked out of the briefing for fear of being attacked by cadres who were uttering threats at him.
A few other journalists also walked out of the briefing in solidarity.
Chipalo has posted on his Facebook page that he is considering reporting the threats to police, saying should anything happen to his life, Musoma should be held accountable.
