TRANSPORT and communications minister Mutotwe Kafwaya has warned citizens against abusing social media saying it can spark confusion, especially now that there is tension in the country.

And Kafwaya says he will soon convene a driver’s conference on road safety in light of the many people that are dying in accidents.

Speaking when he made an impromptu visit to Kulima Tower bus station, Sunday, Kafwaya also urged journalists to be truthful and factual in their reports.

“As I am Minister of Transport, I am also Minister of Communications and it hurts me to see people taking social media as a play thing. We should be mindful of the things we post on social media. Let’s weigh them, will they help in building peace or they will result in creating confusion. Getting things that happened in other places and post that it is happening in Zambia, is that sensible. I beg you, journalists, let us report the truth and be factual. When a bad thing is happening, we have to have responsibility as we report, you can’t just report anyhow,” Kafwaya said.

“Someone is hit with a car, they are trapped, instead of helping the person, you start filming, is that good? That’s witchcraft. Let us make sure that we summon back the humanity in man, let’s summon our conscious, as a people, let’s begin to do the right thing. When someone is in need of help, help them, not busy filming, then what is your plan? That you post on social media? And when you post then what? So let’s summon humanity which we once had so that when someone is in trouble, you help them. My main message to you is these are difficult times but working together we are going to triumph as a government I have the full confidence of what the President is doing and I think we will be okay as a country. Yesterday, the President and the First Lady went to pray, God, who is supreme, will help us overcome.”

And Kafwaya urged drivers to ensure they protect themselves by parking vehicles in places close to their homes.

“Now for us the people, especially the drivers, I am begging you; let’s protect ourselves. Most importantly, let’s not park cars in car parks that are far away from where we stay because when we park in far places, what it means is that you will walk a long distance going home. As things are now, let’s make sure we park close to home, where people know us so that even when crowds want to pounce on you, you will have people who will be familiar with you and defend you. The other thing I am asking is that don’t work late into the night, let’s make sure when there are less people in town, we also retreat and return to our homes because our safety is paramount,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kafwaya said his ministry would soon convene a conference for bus driver on road safety.

“Lastly I want to make an announcement. There are things I want us to work together as drivers, I want us to have a conference as drivers in the not so distant future. We will call drivers from all over the country to have a conference on road safety. Too many people are dying on the roads so in either this month or next month, we will find a suitable day and we will announce so that we have a conference so that the people we are driving and the us the people driving in roads, the cyclists, wheel barrow pushers, we all use the roads safely,” said Kafwaya.

The minister later invited all the drivers at the station to lunch.