ZAMBIA’S RULE OF LAW WEAKENS, RANKED 121ST GLOBALLY IN FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS.
Zambia has been ranked 121st globally in Fundamental Rights and 25th out of 34 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa in the 2026 World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index, highlighting growing concerns over the country’s adherence to the rule of law.
The report also ranks Zambia 111th globally in Open Government, 109th in Absence of Corruption and 119th in Regulatory Enforcement. The country is ranked 16th out of 35 lower-middle-income countries globally.
According to the report, the global rule of law recession continued in 2026, with adherence to the rule of law declining in 68 percent of the countries surveyed, largely driven by the expansion of authoritarian trends.
The report identifies growing authoritarianism as the primary force behind the global decline, particularly in areas relating to government accountability, open government and fundamental rights.
“An expansion of authoritarian trends is the primary force behind the rule of law recession, with deep declines in factors measuring Constraints on Government Powers, Open Government, and Fundamental Rights,” the report stated
The World Justice Project further warned that the integrity of checks and balances had been seriously weakened in several countries, including Zambia, where judicial constraints on government power had declined.
“The integrity of checks and balances has also been seriously weakened, including in Zambia,” the report said.
The report also identified shrinking civic space as a defining feature of the worsening rule of law situation, warning that freedoms essential for public participation, expression and government oversight were increasingly under threat.
“Freedom of opinion and expression declined in 73% of countries, including Zambia. The freedom of assembly and association declined in over 70 percent of countries,” the report stated.
The Index further places Zambia among countries that have experienced a sustained five-year decline in at least one of the three fundamental safeguards against authoritarian rule, raising concerns about the country’s judicial independence, democratic accountability and protection of civic freedoms.
Zambian Watch.
It’s okey.
The arrest of the treason suspects prevented this country from falling off the cliff into anarchy and lawlessness.
In fact make us namba 600, we don’t care.
Even at its lowest, Zambia is still many times better than the previous administration. We work in order to better our country and maintain law and order. We don’t work for global ranks, as long as there is law and order in the country, we don’t care about the rank, you can rank us at 1000, we don’t care. If the security of our country is threatened, we shall not look at ranks, but shall act quickly and bring things to order and protect our sovereignty, i believe that’s our duty as a nation. Which sane government can entertain treason plots against it?