Zambian police dismiss president sickness reports

Zambian police on Tuesday dismissed reports on social media that President Edgar Lungu was unwell, and have since launched investigations to establish the source of the reports.

Information circulating on social media indicated that the Zambian leader was unwell and that defense and security wings were making arrangements for his vice to take over office.

"We would like to inform members of the public that this information is a total malicious fabrication, and one of the numerous falsehoods and ill-intended motives and conducts being perpetrated through the highly abused social media aimed at misleading the general populace and causing alarm," Kakoma Kanganja, Inspector-General of the Zambia Police Service said.

The police, he said, have since instituted investigations, and that all those who will be found to be behind the act will be arrested and dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the law.

The police also urged members of the public against participating in communicating falsehood.

Lungu, 59, led hundreds of people in Lusaka Tuesday in observing the National Day of Prayer, Fasting, Repentance, and Reconciliation.

He later flew to Madagascar to attend the 19th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Heads of State & Government Summit. Endit