#TRENDING
JUST IN: ETHEL CHISONO JAILED
Ethel Chisono Edwards, a Zambian-American blogger, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for making hateful remarks against President Hakainde Hichilema. She was arrested in September 2025 upon arrival in Zambia to attend her grandmother’s funeral.
The charges against her include four counts of seditious practice and hate speech, allegedly directed at the President, which she initially pleaded not guilty to.
Edwards had been using social media platforms, including Facebook and TikTok, to disseminate hate speech and seditious content. As part of her plea bargain, she has accepted a guilty charge, hoping for a lighter sentence.
This case has sparked debate about freedom of speech and censorship laws in Zambia. Some argue that the laws are being used to suppress dissent, while others see it as a necessary measure to maintain national unity and protect public figures.
18 months not enough.
She should have gone in for 5 years to be an example to other people who think that they are safe to cross the law for as long as they live outside Zambia. President HH is a loved leader all over this country. Do not look at the youths who embarrassed him in Chingola and think that HH is hated, not at all. The youths were organized by a political crook of Chingola. I am sure some day somebody will be brought to book.