Nine Years in Journalism: How Bright Mukwasa Changed My Life

The author with Bright Mukwasa
at ZNBC Mass Media Complex
in 2014

By Paul Shalala

Sometimes, people's lives are changed by people who never know that the actions they are taking are historical.

Nine years ago, I received a phone call which changed my life forever.

Bright Mukwasa, a close friend of mine and classmate at Evelyn Hone College from 2005 to 2008 made a phone call in July 2008 with an offer for me to join a newly established newspaper called the New Vision.

At the time I was unemployed and living with my elder sister Nawa Shalala Mwale (now Dr) and her husband Humphrey Kasiya Mwale (I prefer calling him my big brother) in Minestone, Lusaka.

I accepted Bright's offer and joined the small newsroom which was located in the dusty Soweto area just near Uniturtle Industries and PG Glass.

In those humble days, we would sometimes walk to assignments and back to the newsroom to write stories and that wasn't a bother to me because where I grew up in Mumbwa I was used to walk many kilometers to play or watch inter school games in nearby villages.

The New Vision Newspaper gave me the big break into the media, I rose through the ranks to News Editor but before that, Bright had left for the Post Newspaper.

I later left for MUVI Televison where i spent two years.

In July 2012, Bright and I again met at ZNBC Mass Media Complex and we attended job interviews.

Three months later, the national broadcaster gave us jobs and today we proudly serve the nation together.

My story in the last nine years has been great: I have won two international media awards, five local media awards, I have travelled and covered news in Asia, Europe, North America and throughout Africa, oh plus meeting President Barack Obama hehehe.

This success is all because of BRIGHT MUKWASA the man I fondly call CARLOS CARDOSO.

Paul receives the second prize for the Africa Fact Checking
Media Award from Peter Cunliffe-Jones of Africa in
Nairobi, Kenya in November, 2014

Am writing a full article about people who have impacted my small journalism career but Bright stands out, he gave me a good start.

The article will have paragraphs featuring my mentors like Costa Mwansa, Mabvuto Phiri, Yvette Tembo Chanda, Kennedy Bwalya, Brian Mwale, Brenda Nglazi Zulu, Ray Mwareya, Collins Mtika and Chansa Mayani who have had a positive impact on how I do my job.

I pray God should continues to bless Bright and make him a blessing to many more people.

Bembas say: "Uwakwensha ubushiku bamutasha elyo bwacha" (when a person drives you at night, you must appreciate them at day break).

Lesa amipale ba Cardoso, epashili bakuleka (God bless you Cardoso, continue with your good work)!!!!!!

Mandela Washington Fellow: Paul Shalala

He is popularly known as ‘Mumbwa-Mumbwa’ or the boy from Nangoma.

You probably know him as a journalist but us who are closer to him know him as a proud Mumbwa villager.

Paul Shalala is so proud of his village that whenever he visits it in his native Mumbwa District, he never comes back without uploading a photo of himself eating lusala or eating mango with his ageing father.

Some have been making fun of his once ‘backward’ Mumbwa but the young man does not shy away from revealing his love for his childhood.

“I was born in Lusaka, raised in Nangoma area of Mumbwa District, educated in Mumbwa, working in Kitwe and I know one day I will be buried in Mumbwa. That’s my home and I know no other home than Mumbwa,” said Paul in a telephone interview from Syracuse University in New York where he is studying Public Management as part of US President Barack Obama’s Mandela Washington Fellowship.

At a time when most youths brag about ‘living’ in Kabulonga, Ibex Hill or Woodlands, Paul is always talking about his Lubanze village.

What is so unique about Nangoma?

“Nangoma is an area in Mumbwa which consists of over 500 villages which form almost half of the Chiefdom for Senior Chief Shakumbila of the Sala people. I grew up in Lubanze Village. That’s my homeland. I love that area and I visit it very often.”

“As a family, we have a lot of land. We do agriculture and own houses. My parents moved from Lusaka to that area in 1967 and since then they had been moving from one school to the other until they finally settled in Lubanze and retired there. “

“My father taught at over five schools across Nangoma. My mother did the same too and currently she is in the board for Nangoma Mission Hospital. Shalala is a household name there. Actually my elder brother Louis is contesting as Mumbwa District Council Chairman under the Patriotic Front.”

Asked about his own contribution to his village, Paul smiled before opening up saying he even owns a registered transport company for minibuses called Nangoma Transport.

He says he had been a Youth leader for the SDA Church in Mumbwa and worked a lot with youths thatside.

“I spent over five years from 2008 to 2013 leading and training Adventist Youths in Mumbwa as a whole: covering Kabile, Mumbwa, Nangoma, Keezwa, Lutale and other areas. Currently, I sponsor an annual Independence Football tournament called Shakumbila Cup which is named after Senior Chief Shakambila and is held at his Chisalu Palace in Kakombo area. This tournament is for all the village teams in Nangoma. I also sponsor and buy balls, boots and jerseys for two amateur football teams in  Nangoma called Manchester United and Kakombo Boys. Nangoma is my home and I cannot forget where I come from.”

Despite being born in the capital city, Paul never boasts of being a town boy.

His obsession for Mumbwa is surprising.

On Thursday last week, he and 41 other Zambian youths left for the United States to be part of the 2016 Mandela Washington Fellowship.

The 42 youths were selected by the US State Department to be part of the 1,000 young Africans who are currently spread across the US attending training at various American universities in public management, energy, civic leadership and business and entrepreneurship.

Paul is studying Public Management at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs with 24 other youths from other African countries.

“I never ever dreamt of one day stepping into an American university and be taught by a Professor. It’s a humbling experience and I thank President Barack Obama for this once in a lifetime opportunity. I applied for this opportunity in 2013 and 2014 but I didn’t make it. I never gave up and for sure the following year I applied and here iam………,” he said.

Paul says he is already inspired by the composition of the fellows he has seen so far.

“We have a young politician from South Africa who is part of our class. He is the youngest elected Councillor in his country, having won a ward in Johannesburg at the age of 22 in 2012. I have also seen a South Sudanese and a Nigerian fellow who are both blind but are doing wonders back home.”

And with the coming of the Presidential Summit in Washington, DC which will climax with President Obama addressing all the 1,000 fellows during a town hall meeting in August, Paul says it will be an emotional thing for him to see Obama.

“I grew up in the George W. H. Bush days and I know every US President  since then,by name. Obama will be a special one because I will see him face to face and probably greet him. I cannot wait to get a selfie with him…….,” said Paul before bursting into laughter.

And when asked about his future prospects after coming back home, Paul says he has major plans for ZNBC and the media.

“With the help of my employer ZNBC, I plan to help set up desks for specialisation in the newsroom. Am learning how American newsrooms operate with specialised reporters in each desk. We can replicate that back home. We will be touring several media institutions and meet opinion leaders who can help me in that area.

“Secondly, with the help of other 2016 Mandela Washington Fellows, we plan to start training young reporters and school going children in basics of journalism. Our plan is to cover at least five provinces and spread the best practices of this noble profession to future media personalities.”

Paul is expected back home in August, a few days before Zambia gooes to the polls and he says: “Am coming to vote and I hope my 1 vote will add to someone’s 50 percent…...”

Note: This story was originally published by Zambia's largest online newspaper Mwebantu on June 20, 2016. It has been reproduced with permission

Over A Thousand Mufulira Residents Living In Fear Of Demolition

By Paul Shalala in Mufulira

One of the demolished houses

Over one thousand residents of New Kalukanya area of Mufulira District are leaving in fear following threats by the Mufulira Municipal Council to demolish their houses.

The residents built their houses in an illegal settlement, which the Council has described as an encroachment.

One of the residents who lost her houses in a recent demolition exercise Emeldah Mulenga tearfully complained to ZNBC News that her house which she built from retirement benefits was demolished without notice.

"I constructed a slab for my house using retirement benefits my late husband left me with. Now the council has demolished it. I have even suffered a stroke which has left me with a painful eye," cried Mrs Mulenga who spoke in Bemba.

In November 2014, the Council demolished houses which were constructed illegally. 

But residents are up in arms with the local authority for allowing them to pay fees for land which has now been deemed illegal.

"We are suffering here. We need the President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to intervene in our plight. Why should we suffer in our own land?" said Elizabeth Chungu, who also lost a house.

The land issue in New Kalukanya has taken a new twist as the local authority is now re-demarcating and selling the plots to new owners.

Chairperson of the displaced residents Henry Chanda says the action by the council is suspicious.

"Why are they shifting beacons? Why are they selling our plots to people we dont know? This is a syndicate. We will not accept this," said Mr Chanda.

But Mufulira Municipal Council Assistant Public Relations Manager Melvin Mukela says the local authority is doing everything possible to legalise the area but residents have not been cooperative.

"We have called for several meetings but the residents don't show up. We have now asked them to pay K12,500 as penalty fee so that we can give them plot numbers and start processing their title deeds as a way of legalising the settlement," said Mr Mukela.

On Tuesday, the residents effected citizens arrest on two buildings inspectors from the Council who were found analysing plots in New Kalukanya and they were handed over to the Police.

 

New Kalukanya area has been contentious and it started growing in 2008 when some people who masqueraded as land owners sold plots in the area to unsuspecting Mufulira residents.

Paul Shalala Scoops 2014 ZANEC Online Media Innovation Award

ZANEC Chairperson Elly Mwale handing over the award to Mr Shalala

Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) reporter Paul Shalala has scooped the Best Online Media Innovation Award at the 2014 ZANEC Media Awards held last night in Lusaka.

The awards where hosted by the Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) to award journalists who have showed excellence in reporting on education issues this year.

Mr Shalala’s award winning story was published on his blog The Zambian Analyst on 12^th September, 2014 and it profiled over 20, 000 teachers who have formed a facebook group and a WhatsApp group to share best practices of teaching pupils across the country.

The story also showed how the interaction among teachers through social media was improving education standards as veteran teachers where using these platforms to mentor the new comers in the fraternity on how to come up with lesson plans and how to teach in class.

The Zambia Teachers Forum Facebook group has over 15,000 members while the WhatsApp group has over 5,000 members.

The award winning story can be read here: http://paulshalala.blogspot.com/2014/09/over-20000-teachers-using-social-media.html

This is the second media award Mr Shalala has won this year.

On 14th November this year, Mr Shalala received Second Prize during the 2014 Africa Fact Checking Media Awards held in Nairobi, Kenya for his story on the impact of multi-national mining investments on Zambia's food security.

ZNBC Deputy Assignments Editor Jeff Banda also scooped the overall award for the Television category.

Mr Banda’s story on the challenges faced by school going pupils to access education in Vubwi District of Eastern Province, earned him the award.

Paul Shalala and Jeff Banda (left) during the awards gala

The duo of Doreen Nawa and Violet Mengo of the Zambia Daily Mail scooped the overall prize in the print category while Lawrence Lihusha of Radio Christian Voice walked away with the overall radio award.

Henry Kabwe, Chairperson of the 2014 ZANEC Media Awards Committee, told the awards gala that 15 entries here submitted by seven journalists for judging.

“We looked for quality of the stories, innovation, impact of the stories and whether they raised issues of human rights. It is from this criteria that we chose the winning entries,” said Kabwe,  who is also chairperson of the Media Network on Children’s Rights and Development.

Meanwhile, during the awards gala, ZANEC Executive Director Grace Manyonga called for more efforts by Zambia stakeholders to achieve several goals on education set at the international level.

And opposition Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) President Edith Nawakwi, who spoke during the awards, said there was need to decentralize decision making in the education sector to the district level.

“Western Province has one of the lowest pass rates in the country because the Ministry of Education has not understood what is going on. The area floods a lot and pupils are cut off from schools. So we need to decentralize so that education authorities in Kalabo District can set the education calendar for themselves,” said Nawakwi, who is for the second time in three years running for Zambia’s presidential elections in 2015 as the only female candidate.

THE MICHAEL SATA I KNEW: From A Reporter’s Perspective

Michael Sata, Paul Shalala and Justine Kawisha in Senanga, May 2011

By Paul Shalala

I first came to learn of Michael Sata from his several mentions on ZNBC radio when i was growing up in Nangoma area of Mumbwa District in central Zambia during the 1990s.

In those typical Mumbwa-Mumbwa days, radio was more prominent in the villages as it was the most reliable source of news because newspapers, the internet and TVs were a luxury.

I never knew what position Mr Sata held in the Frederick Chiluba-led government at the time but i only knew his name through his many news items on state media.

My first opportunity to see Mr Sata was somewhere between 1993 and 1994 when President Chiluba came to my village to tour the Catholic-run Nangoma Mission Hospital.

It was my second time to see the presidency in my village and it was some how strange as it wasn’t election time.

Earlier in 1990, President Kenneth Kaunda became the first head of state to visit my village.

While on his road trip to Mongu, Dr. Kaunda made a stop-over at Lubanze village and spent a few minutes at Kasalu Basic School where i was doing Grade 1.

My father Mr. Namasiku Kamuti Shalala, who was the school headmaster, received the head of state as we the pupils did the usual chisokone salute while lined up along the Lusaka-Mongu road.

Fast forward to 1993-1994, Dr. Chiluba came with dozens of vehicles and my fellow villagers were excited to have found something to entertain themselves with for a while.

In Chiluba’s entourage, i saw this well built man who stood so close to the eloquent head of state and he was quiet and attentive to whatever the president was saying, nodding his heard from side to side as Dr. Chiluba spoke.

And when i looked closer, it was the King Cobra himself, Michael Sata, the man who would one day rule Zambia for three years and a month.

After that event in Nangoma, ten years passed and i never saw the King Cobra again until 2006.

In that year, i covered one of his rallies in Mandevu area of Lusaka during the campaigns which preceded the 2006 general elections.

At the time, i was a student reporter at the college-run Hone FM radio.

In 2006, Mr Sata was a firebrand opposition leader who spat venom on the Levy Mwanawasa-led New Deal government which he did not spare with every opportunity he had to address the people of Zambia.

The following year, i did my industrial attachments for three months at the Zambia Daily Mail.

During my time at the Longolongo road-based broadsheet, i covered a press briefing by Operation Young Vote President Guess Nyirenda who issued a statement on Mr Sata and i was forced to get a reaction from the Cobra.

With fear in my body, i peacefully picked up the phone and rung Mr Sata who answered me politely and even gave a reaction without hesitation.

From then on, i kept calling him for stories for the rest of his years in the opposition.
 

After college, i spent two years at the New Vision Newspaper where i covered Mr Sata several times.

Being a newspaper, we used to get stories from the Cobra on the phone without really bothering to interview him face to face.

When phoning him, i would go like: “Mr President, this is Paul Shalala from the New Vision Newspaper, am asking for a phone interview with you sir………..”

Then he would answer: “Go ahead Mr New Vision with your questions……………….”

It was always a great experience to speak to him on phone.

When i worked at Muvi Television from 2010 to 2012, i had several close encounters and one on one interviews with the Cobra that still reminds me of a man who gave stories to reporters as and when they needed them.

In May 2011, my employer then, Muvi Television assigned me to cover Mr Sata when he traveled to Western Province to hold rallies in Mongu and Senanga.

We traveled with the Cobra’s advance party, arrived in Mongu on a Friday evening and slept.

The Cobra landed the following morning on a chartered aircraft and in his usual populist style, he wore the traditional Lozi siziba which charmed hundreds of Mongu residents who welcomed him at the airport.

President Sata upon arrival at Mongu Airport

Mr Sata straight away went to the Blue Gums Ground where he addressed a huge rally and tore down the Rupiah Banda-led MMD administration which he accused of having killed innocent people during the January 14, 2011 Mongu riots.

As a proponent of populist politics, the Cobra read people’s mood and spoke only what they wanted to hear.

I filed my story the same day and it aired on MUVI TV’s 18:30 main news.

The following morning on Sunday, while Mr. Sata was attending mass at a Catholic church in the neighbouring town of Senanga, i sat a seat behind him in the church and listened attentively and watched how Catholics conduct their services.

As mass went on, i just saw the Cobra extend his hand to me and he gave me a folded paper which i quickly read and made me smile for a few minutes.

On that paper, the opposition leader wrote: “Thank you very much Mr MUVI TV. People in Lusaka have told me that the story you sent on yesterday’s rally in Mongu was aired on MUVI TV. Good job.”

At first, i was shocked that the venomous Cobra could write a personal note to me.

To this day, i regret having lost that paper. I wish i had kept it as a souvenir for my children and their children to read in future.

After the church service, Mr Sata went to a lodge to rest as he waited for his public rally in the riverside town of Senanga that afternoon.

As was his habit, the Cobra started reading newspapers to update himself with what was going on around the world.

With my colleague Justine Kawisha who was then working at Radio Mazabuka, we saw Mr Sata’s free time as a photo opportunity.

We approached him and asked to take pictures with him and the Cobra shockingly agreed.

We stood behind him and asked someone to take photos.

That person (i cant remember the name) took three photos which to this day are the only photos i have with Mr. Sata (Check photo above).

When the time for the rally came, we went to a ground where Mr Sata addressed the people of Senanga who came in their hundreds.

It was at that Senanga rally that Mr Sata issued the famous 90 days promise to produce a new constitution and restore the Barotseland Agreement of 1964.

My TV report for Mr Sata’s rallies in Mongu and Senanga which aired on MUVI TV contained that story and you can watch it on this Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F24AXckO6yU

In September 2011 when presidential candidates while filing their nominations at the Supreme Court ahead of the 20 September general elections, Muvi TV assigned me to cover all the candidates and i spent the whole week camped at the venue.

When the day for the Cobra’s turn came, there was confusion as hundreds, if not thousands, of Patriotic Front cadres thronged the Supreme Court grounds to see Mr Sata file in his papers.

I remember in my TV report which aired on Muvi TV that evening, i showed a confrontation between PF cadres and Zambia Police Director of Operations Dr. Solomon Jere.

I remember also showing Supreme Court staff peeping through the windows, trying to catch a glimpse of the Cobra who was driven to the Supreme Court in a Toyota GX vehicle and escorted by a huge boat.

My TV report for that day can be watched on this youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOh0WX6FdSQ

After winning the September 20, 2011 with 43% of the vote, Mr Sata soon became a national asset whose access to reporters became scarce.

I covered him on a number of occasions at State House and during campaign rallies in the numerous parliamentary by-elections Zambia has had since 2011.

On June 2, 2014 while i covered the head of state at State House,  he jokingly said he had not been evacuated abroad for medical attention as was alleged by some sections of the online media.

My story on that State House event can be read on this link which i blogged that same day: http://paulshalala.blogspot.com/2014/06/president-sata-says-he-has-not-been.html

The last time i saw the King Cobra in person was on 19^th September, 2014 when he went to Parliament Grounds and opened the first meeting of the fourth session of the eleventh National Assembly.

The head of state in his usual humorous mood, opened the house and punctuated his speech with
jokes.

On that day, i sat upstairs in the press gallery not knowing that i was seeing Zambia’s fifth republican president for the last time.

I took a selfie at Sata's rally in Msanzala in February 2012

And for sure i never saw the Cobra alive again. I may only see him again in the coffin when his remains return to his beloved country tomorrow.

He died on 28^th October, 2014 while receiving medical attention in the British capital London.

When my close friend Boston Chambuluka phoned me from Kafue at around 03:00hrs on 29^th October, 2014 to break the bad news of the demise of the President, i remembered the King Cobra who i had a few chats with in the opposition and who later became the head of state thanks to his populist style of politics which easily wooed him votes.

If someone was to ask me to describe the late Zambian President Michael Chilufya Sata in a few words from a reporters’ perspective, i would describe him as a news source who needed no research to give out a news story at any given  time.

What a loss to us the so-called amutola nkani. Our source is gone.... gone forever.