STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA are all stakeholders. There is no way that a group of people with selfish interests can come up with a bill just to protect their interests. So we condemn that,” said Banda. Earlier, University of Zambia Lecturer in the school of law was cited by News Diggers5 challenging the proposed cyber security bills stating that there was no need to have bills regulating social media adding that the media in Zambia was heavily regulated. University of Zambia Lecturer in the School of Law Sangwani Patrick Ng‟ambi says banning social media should not be an option because the country already has adequate laws regulating freedom of expression. In an article titled „Social Media and Freedom of Expression in Zambia‟ presented at the LAZ AGM last week, Ng‟ambi also noted that freedom of speech was inextricably linked to freedom of the press. However, government insisted that the cyber security bills would not clamp down social media, adding that they were aimed at safe usage of social media by the public. On 15th May, 2018, government spokesperson Dora Siliya claimed that cyber bullying had increased thus the need to enact laws to regulate the cyber space6. Below is an extract from News Diggers: “Information Minister Dora Siliya says Zambians should not panic because there is nowhere in the Internet Regulation Bill where it states that government intends to close down social media platforms in Zambia but the bill only emphasizes responsible use of electronic platforms. Speaking during her weekly media briefing, Monday, Siliya said the three proposed Internet regulation bills would ensure and guarantee safety and defence from cyber-attacks as well as minimise vulnerabilities. 5 News Diggers - Freedom Of Expression Is Heavily Regulated In Zambia, No Need To Ban Social Media – Lawyer – 12th April, 2018 6 News Diggers - Internet Regulation Laws Will Not Clamp Down On Social Media-Dora – 15th May, 2018 10