Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Presidential press aide Amos Chanda says President Lungu has not declared a State of Emergency.
Mr Chanda says the President Lungu merely made a proclamation of a situation that may lead to a state of public emergency.
He explains that the current situation is simply that the President has given police more powers to stop and search and or detain suspects longer than usual and may search people without a warrant.
Mr Chanda states that under a threatened state of emergency the powers invoked are those under the Preservation of Public Security Act Article 31 whilst under a State of Emergency, the powers invoked are under the Emergency Powers Act Article 30.
President Lungu in his national address last evening said he had issued a statutory instrument number 53 of 2017 proclaiming that a situation exists which, if allowed to continue may lead to a state of public emergency.
He went on to say that this will be tabled in the National Assembly in line with Article 31(1) for approval.
President Lungu stressed that it was not an easy decision to make, but that in order to preserve peace,tranquility,safety of citizens and national security, government had no choice but to take this decision given the events that have occurred in the recent past.
He further assured law abiding citizens that they will not be impacted by this decision and should continue to go about their daily routines normally.