Minister of Home Affairs, Stephen Kampyongo has announced that government is in the process of formulating mechanisms to protect children from abuse and manipulation especially on social media.

Mr. Kampyongo says government is worried that the increase in access to internet by children is posing a threat to the wellbeing of the young ones as most of them are falling prey to abuse and manipulation.

He says the new mechanisms and the enforcement of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes laws will deter culprits from abusing the cyber space to manipulate, traffic and entice children to indulge in illicit activities that are detrimental to the livelihood.

The Minister said this before departure for Zambia after attending the Fourteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice which has come to an end today in Kyoto, Japan.

He has since urged parents to monitor the activities of their children especially on social media as a measure to protect them.

And Mr. Kampyongo has announced that reforms for the country’s correctional service have advanced with a focus on empowerment of youthful prisoners with various skills.

“It is government’s wish to see all the prisoners becoming more productive with skill sets that guarantees good livelihood and capacity to contribute to national development once they are released from the correctional facilities,” said the Minister.

He said government will ensure that those released from correctional facilities are fully reformed so that they do not engage in criminal activities once they are integrated into society.

The Minister said it is for this reason that government will soon recruit Correctional Officers with various skills as part of the reforms.

Meanwhile Mr. Kampyongo has described the just ended Kyoto congress as a success saying the lessons and experiences learnt will benefit the country in preventing crimes and administration of criminal justice, which is key to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals -SDGs-.

The congress which drew participants around the globe was held under the theme, “Advancing crime prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law: towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.”

The UN Crime Congress has since adopted a political declaration that will set the crime prevention and criminal justice agenda for the next five years. This contained in a press statement issued by the First Secretary-Press at the Zambian Embassy in Tokyo, Japan Yotamu Mugara.

PANOS Institute Southern Africa Executive Director, Vusumuzi SIFILE says citizens should hold duty bearers accountable on various issues affecting their welfare in the country.

Mr Sifile said this during the provincial stakeholder sensitization meeting dubbed amplifying citizens’ voices to push for accountability in the COVID-19 response in Zambia held at Country Lodge in Mongu district of Western province.

He said citizens should be equipped with necessary knowledge and skills as they deliberate on issues affecting them in the district.

The Executive Director said the media should be in the forefront of disseminating correct information so that citizens can access messages based on facts.

Mr Sifile said in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, citizens should hold government and different players to know how the resources and other materials are distributed to various communities in the country.

He said the media should desist from feeding people with wrong information as doing so will be like giving people poison, adding that there should be proper sharing and facilitate the usage of information for the purpose of development.

Mr Sifile said the government is spending huge sums of money in a bid to counteract the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as such citizens should not be passive observers but ensure that active participation is sought from everyone so that the pandemic is brought to manageable levels.

He said PANOS is carrying out a project of sensitizing people through various media platforms in the province so that citizens are aware of the much technical assistance that partners are bringing on board to cushion the impact of the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Western province Chairperson for people living with disabilities, Abraham SITALI has appealed to the government to disseminate the COVID-19 pandemic messages so that all the differently disabled people in the province are not left behind.

Mr Sitali said more corona virus information should be done in braille to enable the people in the region to have access as the disease does not know the living conditions of the people as it can affect anyone in the province.

And Namakau MUKETOI from the Network of people living with HIV/AIDS in Mongu district said her organization has recorded a number of people defaulting in accessing Art retroviral treatment from various health institutions in fear of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms Muketoi said more sensitization programmes should be done by all stakeholders to assist people on ART access their medications.

And Mongu District Commissioner, Bright TOMBI said all the people were at liberty and free to visit his office for more information on what the government was doing to the people during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Tombi said government offices in the district were operating in a transparent manner adding that holding government officials should be accompanied with facts in order to avoid speculations.

He has, however, called on people in the district to join hands and foster unity as the government was working on finding lasting solutions on how to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Party of National Unity and Progress (PNUP) President, Highvie Hamududu says the party fully supports the Cyber Security Bill so long it can stop the criminality of damaging people’s lives.

Speaking during media briefing held at Floriana Lodge in Solwezi today, PNUP Mr Hamududu said a mechanism must be put in place to stop the propaganda criminality.

Mr. Hamududu said people must never abuse social media but use it to advance development, not to insult and behave like cowards and criminals.

“So if you are doing criminality in your house–insulting people… you are damaging their names…you are criminal. You must be found and smoked out.

“Use social media to advance development not to insult and behave like criminals. Cyber Security Bill is law now. It is passed already. If you are involved in propaganda criminality they will get you…to protect that man you are insulting under your fake website,” he said.

Mr Hamududu said him, being one of the victims of Cyber bullying, has experienced the pain of this crime, hence supporting the bill if it can stop the criminality of damaging people’s lives.

“Do you know what is happening now, people are destroying lives of other people. Even us politicians, I am one of the victims. You start writing falsehoods on the social media…that criminality must be stopped not that I am supporting Cyber Security no, a mechanism must be put in place to stop this propaganda criminality ,” Mr Hamududu said.

Mr. Hamududu says he supports the bill because it is aimed at stopping foolish propaganda.

The government says all social protection programmes namely the Food Security Pack (FSP), Social Cash Transfer (SCT) and Girls’ Education and Women’s Empowerment and Livelihoods (GEWEL) will next year be up-scaled.

Minister of Community Development and Social Services Kampamba Mulenga-Chewe says the government wants to increase the number of beneficiaries under the social protection empowerment programs.

Mrs. Mulenga-Chewe says government recognizes the vulnerability of women and girls in the country.

Speaking when she paid a courtesy call on Gwembe District Commissioner yesterday, the Minister said government is determined to improve the welfare and livelihoods of women in the country through ambitious empowerment programs.

She disclosed that Southern province is extremely doing fine in social protection empowerment programs.

The Minister who has concluded her familiarisation tour in Kazungula, Pemba and Gwembe districts urged officers in her ministry to vigorously sensitize the people on the myths associated with social protections.

The Minister noted that women in communities allegedly shunned money disbursed from government in form of grants.

“I urge my Officers in the ministry to embark on a sensitization drive and spell out the myths that government means well therefore, people should stop shunning the money associating it with satanic,” she said.

She revealed that she has received disturbing reports of some women shunning money from government associating it with ‘black magic’ money.

She gave a scenario where a grant of K180 social protection is increased to K300 – all of a sudden: development which some women refuse to get citing satanic money when in fact not.

And Mrs. Mulenga has clarified that the Ministry of Finance will soon release the K40 million meant for grants to empower women clubs dotted around the country.

The Minister, regretted the delay in releasing the funds from the treasury.

Speaking earlier, Gwembe District Commissioner, Timothy Siakaziba appealed to the Minister to include Gwembe on the list of emergency Covid-19 funds.

Mr. Siakaziba said Gwembe was left out as a recipient of the Fund, yet it is a border district.

And District Community Development Officer Doreen Mwanza appealed to government to rehabilitate the Munyumbwe Skills Training Institute which is in a bad shape.

Ms. Mwanza however, commended government her department is receiving in especially in supporting women livelihood in the district.

Later, the Minister heard success stories from different women groups in Gwembe district that benefited from government grants.

The Minister lauded the clubs for prudently utilization of the public resources.

The Minister, who was accompanied by Community Development Director Cosmas Lukupulo, Assistant Social Welfare Director Stephen Chiwele, Senior Social Welfare Officer, Maxmillian Bwalya and other senior government officials has since returned back to Lusaka