By MILDRED KATONGO –

THE Government has warned private media houses to desist from insulting President Edgar Lungu and the Government because the trend is creating a bad precedent for the younger generation.
Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Chishimba Kambwili said it was unfortunate that The Post newspaper had continued to attack and insult the President on baseless issues.
Mr Kambwili said freedom of speech was being abused by many privately-owned media houses whose agenda was to discredit the Government.
The minister said this when he paid a courtesy call on Luwingu District Commissioner Patrick Chanda yesterday.
“Insulting the President is showing a bad precedent to the young people. Media houses should not always attack and insult the president. It is not right to misuse freedom of speech.
“Criticise but do not insult the President because the youth will think that is the way to live,” he said.
Mr Kambwili said people in rural areas were being misled and misinformed because of the poor state of communication tools.
He said the Government was encouraging the setting-up of community radio stations country-wide to help disseminate information on Government projects.
Mr Kambwili was excited that Luwingu District had witnessed a number of projects that were being appreciated by the residents.
Earlier, Mr Chanda said Luwingu had benefited nine health posts and two had already been completed while seven were being constructed.
He said in terms of education facilities, the district had four basic schools that had been upgraded to secondary level while construction of a new secondary school had been completed.
Mr Chanda also said that the Mansa-Luwingu Road had been completed while construction of several township roads was in progress.
“Luwingu is proud to have witnessed a number of projects such as schools, health centres and roads which have been constructed. Other projects like the construction of a farmers’ training centre, community radio station and a filling station are in progress, Mr Chanda said.