Police in Zambia say they are holding 102 people that were arrested on Monday during a protest which was sparked by reports alleging that the government had sold a state-owned company to China.

The protesters, in the northern city of Kitwe, believed that the Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation Limited (Zaffico) was being sold to Chinese buyers. It is one of the leading employers in the city.

However, Zambia's minister of information tweeted that this rumour was not true.

Rumours of the Chinese taking control of Zambia’s state-owned assets are not new.

There have been reports that China took over both the state broadcaster, ZNBC, and a newly constructed airport in the capital, Lusaka, to recover loans given to Zambia.

The government has however denied these rumours.