I wish to express my deep concern by how much our country is being polluted daily with falsehoods in media that have the potential to: endanger national peace, stability and unity; discourage domestic and foreign direct investment, and disrupt gains made on our devpt priorities.
Evidently, fake news not only affects Government, but also all citizens and those spreading them.
In the past, I restrained myself from responding to fabrications based on the hope that our reporters will rise above fake news, and focus their energies on substantive issues which are key to the attainment of national development priorities espoused in the 7NDP and Vision 2030.
Unfortunately, fake news is seemingly worsening by the day and becoming an enemy of national progress, as progressive proposed legislation such as the Constitutional Amendment Bill #Bill10, has been distorted for cheap political mileage, at the expense of the greater good.
I am compelled to respond to falsehoods because it is a problem we can no longer ignore. I am cognizant of the fact that, to some, my continued restraint to respond to fake news may be misconstrued to be admission of guilt–and nothing could be further from the truth than that.
In view of the above, I wish to state categorically that, any talk of my involvement in the illegal trade of #Mukula is a complete falsehood which is aimed at trying to form a distasteful caricature of my administration and I, in the minds of the Zambians.
The media has a great role to play in nation building. Therefore, if you, our reporters, peddle fake news, you will not only be failing your nation, but you shall also be failing to perform one of your basic professional duties: to educate and inform and not mislead and misinform
Let us learn from lessons of other countries throughout history. Nations that suffered instability and violence did not suffer these tragedies overnight. These tragedies were a direct result of, among other things, making falsehoods and careless-talk as truth and order of the day
Let us all remember that instability, disunity, violence and wars are all processes. And that, spreading falsehoods and fake news are key factors in propelling the above-mentioned processes and underdevelopment.
#BuildingZambiaTogether
#BuildingZambiaTogether
Let us all jealously protect and entrench peace and stability in #Zambia by deploring falsehoods and eventually remove it from our nation’s political fabric. Falsehoods threaten national stability. There can be no national devpt anywhere, without national peace and stability. 🇿🇲
