Top news items in major Zambian media outlets

The following are news highlights in Zambia's major media outlets on Sunday.

-- Zambia's road safety agency has proposed custodial sentence for motorists convicted of drunk driving as one way to curb carnage on the country's roads.

The Road Transport and Safety Agency said motorists convicted of drunk driving usually get away with the offense after paying fines.

But Zindaba Soko, the agency's director said they were looking at ways of how to strengthen the law to ensure that offenders are given harsher punishment like custodial sentences to deter other would-be offenders. (Times of Zambia)

-- Zambian Vice President Inonge Wina has called for more support from organizations to help to meet the needs of the underprivileged in society.

The Zambian vice president said the government has outlined various poverty reduction programs such as social cash transfer, women empowerment, and food security pack to improve the lives of the under-privileged but added that it requires support from other organizations. (Zambia Daily Mail)

-- The Zambian government has assured retirees that it will soon pay them their terminal benefits because it was aware of the anguish they have been subjected to.

Minister of Labor and Social Security Joyce Nonde-Simukoko said the government will endeavor to clear the backlog of retirees who have been waiting for their terminal benefits for years since retiring from the public service.

Thousands of retirees from the public service have still not been paid of their terminal benefits and the minister said the government wants to work towards clearing the money it owed them. (Daily Nation) Endit