KATHMANDU: A Zambian television news presenter has demanded his due salary during a live news broadcast on Saturday night.
Kabinda Kalimina, the news anchor for Zambian KBN TV, first gave a roundup of the top stories, then oddly enough he went off the script and demanded his salary as well as the salaries of coworkers who were yet to be paid.
“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 (sic). We have to get paid,” Kalimina said in a video clip of the broadcast which has gone viral on social media.
The KBN TV released a statement later expressing shock and condemnation over Kalimina’s actions which it called “drunken behavior”.
According to the statement which was signed by Kennedy Mambwe, the owner and Chief Executive Officer of KBN TV, the management has “well-established grievance procedures” through which staffer could file their complaints. It, however, did not state if it had or hadn’t paid staff salary.
“As KBN TV, we are appalled with the drunken behavior 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 behavior by Kabinda Kalimina is out of character and does not represent who we are as a station. We strongly condemn that despicable behavior and urge members of the public to treat that ‘One-Night stunt of Fame’ with the contempt it deserves,” the statement read.
The statement added that the management was investigating the matter stating that anyone who had assisted Kalimina in his outrageous stunt would face disciplinary action.
“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.”
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