The Young Africa Leadership Initiative (YALI) says there is no way the Patriotic Front (PF) government can abuse the cyber security bill when enacted into law to rig the August 12, 2021 general elections because there is no link between cyber security and how election are conducted.

Responding to social media claims that the PF government is in a hurry to enact the bill into law to prolong its stay in power, YALI president Andrew Ntewewe said critics have no basis for their claims.

Mr. Ntewewe said there is urgent need to regulate the use of cyber space which has led to cyberbullying, social anxiety, depression, and exposure to content that is not age appropriate.

He stated in an interview with ZANIS that as the country prepares for the general elections, people should not be allowed to abuse social media to an extent that they cause alarm in the country.

“Causing alarm may lead to panic and anxiety and people may react in different ways and the results may be disastrous. That is why we must be able to regulate the use of cyberspace,” he said.

Mr. Ntewewe observed that Zambia has a clean record of having free, fair and credible elections and the abuse of social media can lead to social strife.

“We are in a democracy, certain people will always criticize the government. They will criticize even progressive ideas, some don’t even know why they are opposed to the bill,” he said.

He further said people must be able to understand that the government wants to improve democracy.

“We believe that once enacted into law, this bill will enhance good governance because we have a lot of people who have been bullied, harassed, and intimidated on social media to such an extent that the democratic space is shrinking,” he said.

Mr. Ntewewe stated that those with opposing views on certain ideas are being harassed and are afraid to share their views.

“But today, we have a clique that has taken over social media that will criticize anyone with divergent views. That is unacceptable,” he said.

He further stressed the need to regulate social media to protect women, girls, and others who are intimidated and bullied on cyberspace.

Cabinet recently approved the introduction and publication of a bill to introduce the law on cybersecurity and cybercrimes.

According to Chief Government Spokesperson Dora Siliya, the introduction of the cybersecurity law is meant to promote the responsible use of social media platforms as well as ensure the provision of cybersecurity in the country.

A mob in Zambezi district has beaten up health personnel and destroyed public property whose value is yet to be ascertained.

The mob beat up the health personnel in protest against the disposal of a body of a person suspected to have died from Covid-19.

North-western Province Commissioner of Police Joel Njase confirmed the incident that happened yesterday and said stones and unknown objects are suspected to have been used to beat up the health personnel.

Mr. Njase said confusion ensued as health personnel were burying the body of a named deputy head teacher at Zambezi primary school who is suspected to have died from Covid-19.

He said police intervened and the body was successfully buried amid high tempers.

“Zambezi police station on 01/03/21 received a report of riotous behaviour made by Mulweyi Mukumbi aged 45 of Ndeke compound, Zambezi also a hospital administrator at Zambezi district hospital that in the process of disposing a suspected Covid-19 body of the late deputy head teacher at Zambezi primary school, a mob begun to beat health personnel with stones and unknown objects,” Mr. Njase explained.

He said the mob proceeded to Zambezi primary school and shattered window panes of a classroom block, nine glass panes at the Zambezi district hospital mortuary and the front windscreen of the Toyota GX motor vehicle registration number ABK 4327 whose value is yet to be ascertained.

Mr. Njase said dockets of malicious damage to government property have been opened adding that patrols have since been intensified in the area.

He has since warned that police will not hesitate to act in accordance with their mandate.

The North-western Police Commissioner further advised the residents to refrain from destroying government property meant to service them whenever they are aggrieved.

At least 21 pupils at Mushindamo Girls’ STEM school have been admitted to Solwezi general hospital after being pepper-sprayed by a drunken teacher.

Mushindamo District Health Director Edgar Mutimushi has confirmed that the pupils are all in stable condition and receiving treatment from Solwezi general hospital.

“We got a report that the girls were gassed by a drunken teacher during their entertainment session. So we quickly rushed to the area and treated them, we left the ones that were stable and referred about 21 to Solwezi general,” he said.

Meanwhile, police in Mushindamo have confirmed receiving the report and are conducting further investigations to establish facts.

Solwezi District Officer-In-Charge, Kennedy Muselu said police officers are currently conducting investigations in a matter that was reported to police that some pupils at Mushindamo were gassed by a teacher.

“Yes we are in receipt of a report from Mushindamo girls that pupils were gassed by a named teacher during entertainment. However, we are still conducting investigations and a conclusive report will be given before close of business today,” Mr. Muselu said.

He has since urged the public to remain calm and avoid spreading rumours that gassing has resurfaced in Mushindamo.

Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary (PS) Elias Kamanga has said government operations would have crumbled if the Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) were not employed in this era of Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr. Kamanga said the use of ICTs was timely adding that it has helped in the execution of operations meant to serve the members of the public.

“Imagine if we did not have ICTs in place, imagine if we did not have e-government systems, government operations would have crumbled,” he said.

He told ZANIS that the use of ICTs has helped to overcome the difficulties of communication in government institutions in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic which has affected the entire world.

The Permanent Secretary has since called for the roll out of the ICTs to all the government departments in the country saying it is vital for conducting meetings without gathering people in one place.

He said the use of Zoom to conduct virtual meetings is convenient and cost effective to the government.

Mr. Kamanga noted that government has saved funds through the use of Zoom as officers do not have to travel to attend meetings but can to it virtually and contribute from any location.

He said virtual platforms such as Zoom have played a key role in ensuring that government operations in health, education and agriculture sectors are not affected even with the advent of Covid-19.

Mr. Kamanga has since appealed to the Ministry of Finance to provide adequate resources for the development of ICTs in all government institutions.

“ICT infrastructure requires a lot of investments to ensure that officers are able to apply the use of ICTs in their operations,” he said.

He said his desire was that the ICT services should be rolled to all the seven districts of Lusaka province for effective communication to be achieved without necessarily traveling out to such areas.

“I think that all the government institutions should adapt to this new technology, it is a new normal that we all have to live with,” he said.

Mr. Kamanga however urged people to avoid abusing ICT platforms saying they should only apply it for the purposes of improving both personal and national welfare.

And a Public Health Specialist at the Lusaka Province Health Office Bushimbwa Tambatamba said all the health facilities in the province have access to internet services.

Dr. Tambatamba said the province is avoiding paper based operations adding that the introduction of the smart care systems has strengthened the electronic based care services to patients whose records can be accessed at any health facility once they produce their smart cards.

She said the province is also using mobile phones to monitor Covid-19 patients who are not admitted to health facilities.

The public health specialist further revealed that the province is using the echo-system to manage patients who are in remote places.

She said through the use of ICTs, authorities can manage to train health officers in places such as Chirundu on how to manage the patients in their care.

“The trainers can be able to see the patient and advise the specific interventions that can be done to help the patient through ICT platforms.” said Dr Tambatamba.

Dr. Tambatamba said 50 percent of the interactions at the provincial health office are done through the use of ICTs.

Meanwhile, Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) Corporate Communication Manager Topsy Sikalinda said 90 percent of the payments are now being done electronically through banks, WhatsApp and phones.

“We are discouraging physical interactions with clients unless something important. The authority has also increased the working hours for the call centre to minimize physical interactions in this era of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

Central Province Minister, Sydney Mushanga, says the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Bill of 2021 is not targeted at anyone or the opposition but is aimed at protecting the citizenry.

Speaking at the launch of Oracle One Marital Services (OOMS), a Faith Based Organisation (FBO), Mr. Mushanga said he was affected to hear that one of the causes of divorces in the country was the improper use of social media.

Mr. Mushanga said the launch of OOMS has come at the right time when government has been encouraging peace and unity as the country heads towards the August 12 presidential and general elections.

“As a national servant, I find myself at peace to partner and contribute to the growth of this FBO whose aim is to bring peace because I want to associate myself with peace, unity and national development,” he said.

He charged that social media is supposed to be used properly for the good of humanity and to better people’s lives and strengthen marriages.

“I have no doubt in my mind that His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zambia, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, would want to associate himself with such community initiatives,” he added.

The minister however observed that social media in the country has been used to among other vices, propagate hate speech.

Mr. Mushanga said it is for this reason that government has taken to parliament the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Bill of 2021 to advance the proper use of social media.

He added that once passed into law, it will be difficult for people who are in the habit of misusing the social media space to continue doing so.

He meanwhile dispelled assertions by some sections of society that the impending law is targeted at the opposition.

“And I think that is good for the state and it is not targeted at anyone or the opposition. If the opposition is progressive, if the opposition has nothing to fear, then there is no need to worry,” he said.

And Oracle One Marital Services (OOMS) president, Samson Kalwazi, said the Faith Based Organisation (FBO), was established to enhance the promotion of healthy married couples in Zambia and beyond.

Bishop Kalwazi said the organisation hopes to achieve this feat through guidance, counseling and teaching about Christian values and principles.

“Our values include excellence, unity of purpose, love, transparency, accountability and integrity. It is our prayer and hope that as we launch this organisation with the unity of purpose exhibited today, the FBO will achieve its intended goals,” Bishop Kalwazi said.

Meanwhile, Oracle One Marital Services (OOMS) Deputy Director of Health, Oswald Chikwaba, said improper use of social media accounts for 15, 000 divorces in the country.

Heavy downpour experienced in the last few days in Chilanga district has caused a water spillage from nearby streams flooding roads and impairing accessibility of over four thousand people.

Vernon Sikanyika, a resident of new farms area told ZANIS in an interview that culverts on Chilongolo stream collapsed leading to an overflow of the water from the streams.

Mr Sikanyika appealed to government to build a bridge to enhance accessibility as a number of people have been affected by the overflow.

He called for government to intervene before lives are lost.

“This poses a danger especially to school going children who cross over culverts when going to school,” he said.

And Chilanga District Commissioner Richard Ndazye promised to engage the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) as the situation require urgent attention.

Mr. Ndazye added that a population of more than four thousand people have been affected by the overflowing stream.

He also noted the need to replace culverts to ease accessibility to new farms area.

Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) Executive Director, Manuel Mutale says they want to see production of local products compete on the international market.

Mr Mutale said for industrialization to thrive in the country, local products must compete favourably on the international market.

He said industrialization is an anchor of national development and for local products to meet both local and international standards, products must be tested and certified by the bureau.

He said this when he called on North-Western Province Permanent Secretary, Willies Mangimela in Solwezi yesterday.

“We are here in the province to engage our stakeholders so that they can understand the different roles performed by the bureau of standards. Because we also regulate, industries are a bit scared to come to us,” Mr Mutale said.

He said with the operationalization of the African continental free trade area, there is need to explore the international market, especially that the local market has been satisfied.

“The goods that we produce should not only meet the local standards but also international. That is why we are going round the provinces to engage the business community, particularly the small and medium entrepreneurs because we have introduced the certification scheme suitable for small and medium enterprise,” Mr Mutale said.

And Provincial Permanent Secretary Willies Mangimela said the region is experiencing a lot of economic activities of which stakeholder engagement is required

“Engage these farmers in the province and give them tips on how to go about their products because right now Zambia is not only looking at satisfying the local market but international as well,” Mr Mangimela said.

He called on ZABS to take interest in the Industrial Development Cooperation fruit factory in Mwinilunga district which involves out grower farmers in pineapple and other fruits processing.

Mr Mangimela further urged the bureau to advise farmers on how to make their products competitive.