VETERAN JOURNALIST APPEARS MASKED ON LIVE TV…amid growing fears for Press Freedom in Zambia

VETERAN JOURNALIST APPEARS MASKED ON LIVE TV

…amid growing fears for Press Freedom in Zambia

Lusaka… Thursday April 24, 2025  –  In what many have described as a chilling symbol of the state of press freedom in Zambia, a veteran investigative journalist appeared on KBN TV Tuesday night with his face covered, concealing his identity due to fear for his safety.

The incident has sparked a wave of concern and debate across the country, with critics pointing to it as evidence of increasing repression under the UPND government.

According to a statement issued by Mr. Thompson Luzendi, a Socialist Party member and political activist, the anonymous appearance was not part of a dramatization but a reflection of a painful reality.

Mr. Luzendi contended that the moment highlighted a disturbing decline in freedom of expression in Zambia.

He stated that fear of state-sanctioned victimization and intimidation had become so widespread that even experienced journalists now felt compelled to operate in secrecy.

Mr. Luzendi described this trend as a “terrifying indictment” of what he called the UPND regime’s slide into authoritarianism.

The activist further criticized the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act, stating that while the law had been presented to the public as a measure to combat cybercrime, it had instead turned into a tool for surveillance and suppression.

He asserted that citizens were being monitored and, in some cases, would be prosecuted—not for inciting violence, but merely for expressing dissenting views or criticizing those in power.

“This is not the Zambia we envisioned in 1991, nor is it the change we were promised in 2021,” Luzendi remarked.

He accused the current administration of weaponizing state institutions against journalists, opposition leaders, activists, and ordinary citizens.

Drawing parallels to other repressive regimes, Luzendi likened Zambia’s trajectory to countries such as Eritrea, Russia, and Egypt, where freedom of speech is severely curtailed.

He cited examples of imprisoned journalists, exiled opposition figures, and citizens punished for social media posts in these countries.

A particularly poignant comment, reportedly from a social media user, was shared by Luzendi to emphasize public sentiment: “Zambians are so oppressed that they can’t freely express their views using the media without fear of persecution and harm… these are sad times we are in.”

He also condemned some UPND supporters for mocking the masked journalist’s appearance instead of reflecting on its gravity.

Mr. Luzendi interpreted this reaction as not just indifference, but active complicity in the erosion of democratic values.

“The chilling effect of repression doesn’t only silence those already speaking,” he warned, “it also prevents others from ever starting.”

He called the moment a national warning and urged citizens not to lose hope, saying that freedom would eventually return.

In a direct appeal to journalists, activists, and citizens living in fear, Mr. Luzendi praised their courage and insisted that their efforts would not be in vain.

He concluded by encouraging Zambians to remember the current circumstances when they head to the polls in 2026.