Zambia's government has accused the country’s online news media of having turned into platforms of insults and defaming people with impunity, warning it will soon crack a whip.

On Monday deputy minister of information and broadcasting services, Forrie Tembo said the Zambian government would sooner than later deal firmly with the country’s online media for having turned themselves into platforms of insults than informing the nation.

He said the media in the country should desist from being used as conduits for hate speech and other inclined speech.

The Zambian government has accused the country’s online media of being sponsored by opposition political parties in order blackmail the government and cast aspersions on senior government officials.

“Irresponsible reporting if left unchecked has the potential to plunge the country into chaos,” Tembo said.

Last week, the southern African country's government announced that it will soon review the country’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) policy of 2006 to make it respond to modern trends.

The new ICT policy is intended to give more powers to the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA), the country’s telecom sector regulator, to crack down on online media organisations.

The Zambian government through the minister of communications and transport Yamfwa Mukanga announced last month that it has procured software and hardware that will be used to block some sites from being accessible.

One news site, the Zambian watchdog remains blocked in Zambia and has been forced to publish only on its Facebook page.

Many Zambians see social media and online news sites as the only source of news as the country’s mainstream media is owned and controlled by the Zambian government.