LUSAKA, June 5 (Xinhua) — Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on Wednesday said the Cabinet has proposed amending laws to stiffen punishment for people promoting hate speech in the country.

Hichilema said it was unfortunate that certain sections of society were busy promoting hate speech against certain tribes, a situation bound to cause civil strife in the country.

He said the proposed laws would ensure that perpetrators of hate speech are given stiffer punishments to deter others.

The government will not sit idle and allow any group to divide the country, Hichilema said.

“In the last few months we have seen an incessant attack on national unity. Unity is our heritage we are proud of, and we should not allow anyone to destroy it,” he told a press conference at the State House.

The Zambian president said the proposed amendments will be taken to parliament and urged lawmakers to do the right thing to deter people from promoting discrimination against any grouping.

The Cabinet agreed that the teaching of national unity should be included in the school curriculum to ensure that national unity was instilled in citizens at a young age, he said.