The government has dismissed, as malicious propaganda, information making rounds on social media, alleging that the Zambian government will shut down the internet from Thursday to Sunday next week.
In a statement released to the media by Amos Malupenga, the Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Information And Broadcasting Services, the government said that the information was false and was calculated to cause alarm among the peace-loving Zambians.
“The Government wishes to assure the people of Zambia, both at home and abroad, that it remains committed to the free flow of information, even during the election period, ” the statement read
The Government also urged what it described as law-abiding citizens to continue using the internet and other social media platforms responsibly and in conformity with the provisions of the Electoral Process Act and other laws, such as the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act and the Penal Code Act, which prohibit the dissemination of falsehoods and inflammatory statements that have the potential to destabilize national peace and security.
Foreign media, including South Africa’s Daily Maverick, has been reporting that the Zambian government has resolved to completely shut down access to the internet beginning next Thursday, the voting day.
The foreign media claimed that a highly placed government source that opted to remain anonymous informed them that access to the internet will be throttled from Thursday in an effort to maintain peace and order during the voting period and that the decision had since been communicated to ZICTA for implementation.
The source that opted to remain anonymous said the decision has since been communicated to ZICTA for implementation.
“Yes internet will go down from Thursday. There will be a total blackout. We will start to slowly restore access around Saturday in selected areas, we may get full access maybe on Sunday or Monday, depending on the situation,” the source said.
And falsehoods like this filter to international media who take it as authentic and broadcast it all over the world and make diasporans like Field Ruwe rub their dirty hands with glee to pour scorn on uwulebwelelapo
The denial is only because of being exposed, otherwise this scheme could have been in the process
CRITISE ALL YOU WANT BUT THIS GOVERNMENT IS A STRANGER TO THE TRUTH
AND ANYTHING IS POSSBLE >> SO DONT DICOUNT IT YET
We will see. It ain’t Thursday yet! And Edgar China Lungu has proven to be rather economical with the truth!
THERE IS NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE , THIS MAY HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED TO MAKE ZAMBIA UGANDA , BUT DUE
TO THE GLOBAL BACKCRASH , AS THIS WAS ON BBC THEN LATER STOPPED
Falsehood should not punctuate our way of life. African countries or indeed organisations don’t become part of the falsehood when Western countries conduct their elections. What’s just wrong with us? Where is this insatiable appetite for power coming from?
Preempt some more. See what happened with the cancelling of flights? They denied, allowed, then finally came out in the open and suspended the permit. Let’s see how the internet gig plays out. Let’s make Zambia a people’s country and not partisan or individual… please.
Shutting it down will be the best to do. I conquer. But anyways our ECL is very listening even if most of these voices are coming from as far as the corners of Dudumwezi. He will still give it a ear and grant them their wish.
Tulemubwekeshapo!
As the saying goes ” There is no smoke without fire. As matters stand now you can not trust this once Mighty PF govt. Will only believe when there will be no shut down during and after elections. A desperate govt does crazy things to survive.
No democratic government would block the flow of information during presidential elections. Too much hype on the internet: don’t believe the hype! I even heard someone in an audio telling people how to access free internet in case there’s really a black out. What a waste of time, nerves and energy. Many will perish of worries and heartache while the meek shall inherit the earth… What is to be must be!
Whether it would be shut or not, we are voting for the UPND alliance, you can do whatever you want with your internet, obviously denial after being pre exposed
Zambian’s are gullible but for how long? The known forces keep flexing their little tricks to test our resolves. We are a free people and will always be several steps ahead. One Zambia One nation. Let’s unite for the love of our country.
UPND is so desperate and they know that they have no chance of winning henceforth bringing up all this nonsense just to alarm people..HH want to force himself on Zambians but it won’t happen….nada….HH has very bad intentions for Zambia…VOTE EDWARD CHAGWA LUNGU
PF is now talking about Saturgnia, privatization, and false things about an opposition leader getting money from Vedanta. no message, its just personal attacks on HH now, very cheap and these are chaps saying we will do issue based politics, always on the wrong foot
PF have realised that many thousands of zambians use the Internet related apps like WhatsApp , FB and messenger for business to survive …….
Shuttingdown the Internet will cost them more votes than will be made by that shutdown…..
Amos you tried your best under PF, focus on cleaning up your government house so the incoming PS don’t take pictures of graffiti in your bathrooms.
Its impossible for the PF Govt to allow Internet and Social Media to operate becoz of their Election Rigging intentions. ECL and PF haven’t got the numbers to win this Election cleanly. To retain Power ECL will have no choice but to rig the Elections massively. The odds in this Election are against ECL and PF. Given the loss of support ECL cannot garner 50% + 1 vote without Rigging. PF Strongholds are no longer Green but 50% Red. This is scary for ECL and PF and no wonder they are now panicking. We are 5 days away from August 12. So we shall see.
Internet blackout was started by UPND before the Cyber Law was even signed for by Lungu. The opposition for propaganda revised the rumours and were then fed to external media like Maverick, News Central, IT Web, Sangonet, et cetera.
I think they’ll only bloc k Faceboo k & soc ial medi a s ites.
Use a VPN
FORWARD FORWARD IWE twanaka ne fyumbu.
This is a clearly anti-freedom of speech regime so we cant trust anything they say to the contrary
I hv argued before that the internet can be shut down but there ought to be prior notice, disclosure of the reason for the shutdown and how long it is expected to be. That’s how government officials comfortable in their own skins operate.