Zambian TV newscaster goes off script, demands payment of owed salary during live news report (Video)

A news anchor with a Zambian TV station has shocked viewers after demanding for the payment of his salary and that of his colleagues while giving a live news report.

Kabinda Kalimina, the TV news presenter who works with KBN TV, veered off the script and urged the management to pay their owed salaries.

He made the disclosure shortly after giving a roundup of the top stories during a live broadcast.

Kabinda said; “Away from the news, ladies and gentlemen, we are human beings. We have to get paid. Unfortunately, on KBN we haven’t been paid. People are getting instruments on KBN…Sharon and everyone else haven’t been paid, including myself . We have to get paid.”

However, he was cut off almost immediately.

Reacting to the incident, management of the TV station accused him of exhibiting a “drunken behavior”, adding that his antics has brought the station to disrepute.

In the statement released by Kennedy Mambwe, owner and chief executive officer of KBN TV, it was gathered that the management is investigating how Kalimina found himself on air on Saturday night. Mambwe also said that anyone who had assisted Kalimina in his “outrageous stunt” would face disciplinary action.

The statement read; “As KBN TV, we are appalled with the drunken behaviour exhibited through a video clip that has gone viral on social media and staged by one of our part-time presenters during what should have been the main news bulletin last night.

As a young television station, we work with a very highly talented and professional team, with a noble character and we owe the success of unbroken broadcasting for the last two years to such gallant men and women. Members of the public may wish to know that KBN TV like any other institution, has very well-established grievance procedures for all members of staff through which they can channel their complaints.

“Therefore, last night’s behaviour by Kabinda Kalimina is out of character and does not represent who we are as a station. We strongly condemn that despicable behaviour and urge members of the public to treat that ‘One-Night stunt of Fame’ with the contempt it deserves.

As management, we are carrying out investigations to determine how a drunken part-time presenter found himself on air unabated and disciplinary action will be taken against anyone who may have been party to the scheme.”

Watch the video:

IPPIS: ASUU reacts to FG’s order to stop payment of salaries

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared that it will not be cowed into enrolling its members on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

The union which was reacting to the directive issued by the Federal Government which seeks to stop the salaries of university employees, who have not enrolled on the scheme, described the move as blackmail to weaken workers and make them enroll on the platform.

Speaking in an interview with Punch on Sunday, the Chairman of the University of Port Harcourt Branch of ASUU, Dr Austen Sado, said that the directive by the government clearly shows that there is something the Federal Government is not telling the people.

He said “It (directive to stop salaries) clearly shows that there is something the Federal Government is not telling the people. They are not paying us (some lecturers). So, why are they saying by November?

“What they are doing now is just blackmail and threat to see how they would weaken our members to go and enroll (on IPPIS). People who have not enrolled are not being paid; some people for eight months, some for three, going to four months. I have not been paid salary since July, while some people have not been paid since February”.