January 11, 2018
Amos wants Police, ZICTA to curb “fake news”
President Edgar Lungu’s press aide Amos Chanda has written to Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja asking him to team up with ZICTA and investigate the source of “fake news” particularly to do with Plot One.
In a letter dated January 4, 2018, Chanda said producers of fake news aim at fostering lawlessness on a mass scale and must be brought to book immediately.
He complained that he has been a victim of forged statements attributed to his office that were totally false and misleading thereby causing distress and panic among individuals and businesses.
“Despite the structural and professional deficiencies inherent in these forgeries, several individuals and businesses are nevertheless getting distressed and thrown into panic believing these announcements are official bulletins from the State House Press Office. It is therefore an urgent imperative that a thorough investigation is carried out and decisive action taken to forestall this irresponsible and criminal behaviour which has a real danger to disrupt public order.
“You may wish to note, Inspector-General, that this phenomenon notoriously known as “fake news” is a global concern. This cyber-bullying tactic by devious individuals is aimed at fostering lawlessness on a mass scale. That is why this problem has gotten the attention of many governments who are taking steps to control it. In France for instance, stringent laws have been announced by the President this week to crackdown on this criminality,” reads the letter in part.
Chanda’s letter comes in the wake of a number of fake statements purporting to have come from State House.