PRESIDENT Lungu says the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) must regulate the tele-communication space so that it can monitor social media which is being abused by some Zambians.
“Some people are using social media, especially Facebook, to write letters insinuating that it is government officials issuing certain instructions which Government is not aware of,” he said.
The President said this at State House yesterday when he received a quarterly report from Minister of Transport and Communication Brian Mushimba.
President Lungu said ZICTA plays a key role in the transformation of information and communications technology (ICT) and should enhance cyber security to stop people from abusing social media.
And President Lungu has directed Mr Mushimba to ensure that Zamtel and other parastatals under his ministry become profitable and viable.
President Lungu wants parastatal firms to start making profit and declare dividends to Government.
He said parastatal companies are consuming a lot of money from Government without making any returns.
“This culture of depending on Government when these parastatals are able to add value, make profit and pay returns to Government should stop,” he said.
The President heard from Mr Mushimba’s report that only Zambia Airports Corporation Limited and Zampost have been declaring dividends to Government.
“All parastatals must be made viable and start making profit instead of only depending on Government,” he said.
He said Zamtel, ZICTA, Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA), Zambia Railways Limited and the Zambia Meteorological Department which are still suckling from the Government must be transformed into profitable institutions which will be able to declare dividends to Government.
President Lungu said Zamtel has the largest network in the country and should not be getting money from Government but should instead be giving money to Government in form of dividends.
Meanwhile, Mr Mushimba said he presented his ministry’s mandate, programmes and projects being undertaken in the ministry.
Mr Mushimba said the goal of his ministry is to lower the cost of transportation and communication, create a knowledge-based society and promote ICT for all to ensure that it becomes a mode of doing business.
And Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Lloyd Kaziya said President Lungu has urged his ministry to ensure that all Zambians have easy access to clean water.
Mr Kaziya said his ministry will work hard to ensure sustainability of water resources throughout the country.
He was speaking shortly after presenting his ministry’s quarterly report to President Lungu.
Dealing with Fake news simply means further stifling media freedom and also restricting people freedom to expression. Governments world over should get their heads out of those dark places and realize that fake news is a part of human interaction ….only this time it has found a digital platform that is quite effective. Why the desire to intrude into what people read or share. These are the modern Kamuzu Bandas who didnt allow Television in Malawi for Decades :0
He starves the citizens of news because he does not hold press conferences and then expects real news about him and his government to come out of thin air. Mr President, nature hates a vacuum.
Germany’s Cabinet on Wednesday approved a new bill that punishes social networking sites if they fail to swiftly remove illegal content such as hate speech or defamatory fake news.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet agreed on rules that would impose fines of up to 50 million euros ($53.4 million) on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms.
German Justice Minister Heiko Maas said that the companies offering such online platforms are responsible for removing hateful content. He said the new bill would not restrict the freedom of expression, but intervene only when criminal hatred or intentionally false news are posted.
Germany poses a particular problem for U.S.-owned social networking sites accustomed to American standards of free speech. Due to its Nazi past, Germany…
Surprising that PTC was split to create Zampost and Zamtel, there was a general view that Zampost would not survive but look Zamtel is the one stealing govt money while Zampost is profitable. Change the management at Zamtel and see what happens
Zamtel and Zesco are not making money because all politicians want contracts jobs and money for campaigns from them look at some of the so called parastetals giving dividends you will shocked at their list of liabilities
Government wants dividends yet its been the same culprit that uses the services for free in relation to Zamtel and Zesco. Zamtel was taken back in the public interest by people who have no clue to run it, and now its in the red and will need a substantial cash injection to stay afloat. In any case 70% of revenue is being paid out as wages, which Telco company does that anywhere in the world? Its time you encourage a private ownership on all SOE’S so there is some form of accountability of where the money is going, being spent and revenue collection.
Fake news is better than stifling media freedom as your party has been doing. Atleast one has choice whether to believe it or not. The onus is on person reading to ensure it is a verified source. The worst is propaganda by pf which has seen znbc been used to sing praises about daft lungu.
Solutions
1. Establish Monday Wednsday and Friday breifing sessions with Amos Chanda and the accredited statehouse accredited press.
2. President should have a monthly address to the nation on the state of Zambia
3. Quit the hounding of people that do not parrot your views. Not agreeing with a person does not mean that we hate the person. The president should be seen and felt as a protector of the freedom of speach (even it is speach against him and his band of merry men/women).
People resort to “Kachepa” and other means of communication because of the constricted views of the GRZ controlled media.
NEZ may be a really big 1diot and dumb buffoon. Mr. President, don’t defend his thoughts, defend his right to have them and express them. When NEZ lies, defames, or libels then let…
then let the aggreived and judiciary fùck him up. Don’t send the police after him to beat him in the night. We need 1diots just as we need normal people.
4. Give 4 hours a week on all state media for un edited, unscripted opposition space. Let them waffle and screech and scream or be silent as mice on their day. WE will all get to know the opposing views and be able to make informed decisions. If they abuse the presidency-as an organ (not president as a person), the judiciary (not a judge as a person) or legislature (not an MP or Speaker as a person). Then they shouod face the law as it stands. Don’t bar or ban these expressive hours. Let the people see them as they are. 1diots or brilliant.
When you limit the sources of “real” news and censor these so that the news starts with “his execellency the president” and progresses with “her honor the vice president” after the break we hear “the permanent secretary” or “the Minister”, then you are asking the public what role they play in The Republic of Zambia. Are we just sheep to be sheared of our money through taxes to “warm” yourselves, your wives/girl friends and pad you foreign accounts or are we equals with an equal stake in the country called Zambia.
Are we to be scared of typing under our own names because a “black Mariah” will come collect us at night and take us to the “knackers”. Really, ZICTA can try but there will be a way found. Closed groups, BBM, Foreign based chat rooms, pseudonyms will pop up!
Uli chisushi chambwa
It’s a shame that ZNBC collects statutory TV Levy from everyone connected to the Zesco grid, receives govt. grants but go on the market to compete with other media houses for adverts and private sponsorship of programs yet the Ministry has forced others to carry its signal free of charge. It’s not fair! The so called free-to-air is fraud, what kind of competition is this? How can ZNBC fail to pay salaries? Mwanakatwe has run down Zamtel, he should have been dismissed long ago. ZAMPOST doesn’t look like a company doing well, their employees look demotivated
If one really follows the thought pattern of our President it is worrying.He always talks about things in general terms no specifics.
Yes parastatals should not rely on the state but what are you dfoing about it other than the rhetoric.Yes let us have clean drinking water then fullstop.What are you doing about this problem Mr President.You cant just be telling us about the problems.We know the problems and we are paying you to solve them not to remind us about them.
Can anybody tell me how the bureau of meteorology will generate income. Since when do givt departments declare dividends. If they do who are the shareholders. Where does the money from RTSA, Zambian Railways go. Doesnt it go into consolidated revenue.
I think we are seeing the fruits of the trip to china of the ministers, chinese socialism is slowly permeating its way into zambia. Councils responsibke for schools, news outlets vetted, facebook called a problem, all govt instrumentalities to be profit driven, ministers only acting at direction of president, znbc majority owned by china, chinese IT contracts at zra. Roads chinese, government buildings chinese, financing china,.China will own us by default through economics
But china had its Tiannamen Square
You are quite correct Masalamuso – Chinese way of ruling with an iron fist is about to hit us !
Any money received by parastatals should be put back into the organisation to improve the quality of
service offered to citizens ! Met department – you are correct how on earth must they gain revenue !
I can see a looming increase in the prices of rail transport, RATSA licences, fines, the list goes on and on !
We are a democratic country ( or at least we are supposed to be ZNBC is only for the PF) – IF YOU CAN’T TAKE CRITISM FROM ZAMBIAN CITIZENS THEN RESIGN. BEING CRITISIZED IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS OF IMPROVING YOURSELF BY LEARNING FROM YOUR MISTAKES. !!
Germany’s Cabinet on Wednesday approved a new bill that punishes social networking sites if they fail to swiftly remove illegal content such as hate speech or defamatory fake news.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet agreed on rules that would impose fines of up to 50 million euros ($53.4 million) on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms.
German Justice Minister Heiko Maas said that the companies offering such online platforms are responsible for removing hateful content. He said the new bill would not restrict the freedom of expression, but intervene only when criminal hatred or intentionally false news are posted.
Germany poses a particular problem for U.S.-owned social networking sites accustomed to American standards of free speech. Due to its Nazi past, Germany…
Razor Ramon