Last month, the UK froze aid funding to Zambia, after its government admitted that money intended for poor families in the social cash transfer programme had gone missing.

The move followed allegations of corruption within President Edgar Lungu's administration.

The Zambia Daily Mail quotes President Edgar Lungu’s spokesperson Amos Chanda, who confirmed during a press briefing the money was returned on Monday.

President Mr Lungu sacked Social Welfare Minister Emerine Kabanshi last month, making her the first casualty of an investigation into what happened to the missing money.Ireland, Sweden and Finland have also frozen aid to the country.