Opposition Kicks as Zambian National Newspaper Publishes Article in Chinese

Last week, Zambians woke up to a big surprise. 

The state-owned newspaper, Times of Zambia, had published an article entirely in Chinese language. Yes, you read it correctly - Chinese language!

The article was written in Mandarin – The dialect of Chinese spoken in Beijing and adopted as the official language for all of China.

The Chinese article in question was titled ‘We’ve still got it’ and was written by one Steven Zande.

The story, which was the main story of the day was reporting about President Edgar Lungu’s pledge to maintain Zambian interest in dealing with donors – be they from the east or west.

How can a main story on a state owned African Daily be published in Chinese language? 

This was the latest from the China controlled Zambia after reports last month that the country had deported renowned Kenyan Pan-Africanist, Prof. Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba reportedly over his hard stance on China, had broke the internet. 

Well, the opposition in Zambia are not keeping mum on this one and have picked up the issue, calling on the speaker of the National House of Assembly, Patrick Matibini to rule on the Chinese articles running in the Times of Zambia Newspaper.

This follows a point of order raised by leader of the opposition Jack Mwiimbu who wanted to know why the publication has been sidelining Zambians by publishing the Chinese language and not any other Zambian language.

Mr Mwiimbu who raised a point of order pursuant to Article 23 of the Zambian Constitution indicated that it was, trite law that by virtue of this constitution government should not be discriminating anyone who is Zambian or a Resident in Zambia.

Referring to a copy of a Times of Zambia Newspaper, he alleged that the publication has been discriminating Zambians and against the majority tribes in Zambia by publishing an article under the headline “SADC moods DRC peace whose article is in Chinese language when there has been no such article in the Zambian local languages.

The Leader of the opposition wondered why government is finding it proper and prudent in its own wisdom to start interpreting articles that are appearing in the newspapers in Chinese.

Mr Mwiimbu wanted the Speaker Dr Matibini to make a ruling on whether Information and Broadcasting Minister Dora Siliya was in order to remain quite and not to inform the house and the nation that Chinese is now an official language in Zambia.

”Mr Speaker I need your serious ruling, the Minister should tell us whether Chinese is an official language in Zambia so that we all start learning Chinese”, He said.

Mr Mwiimbu also wondered whether Ms Siliya was in order to abrogate the Constitution of Zambia under the above cited Article.

In his ruling the Speaker said he would render his ruling on Friday 12, October as he needed time to study the point of order.