WHY THE CYBERSECURITY BILL PASSED BY THE UPND ADMINISTRATION…??
As an Independent aspiring Member of Parliament for Chililabombwe Constituency, I feel compelled to speak out against the recent enactment of the Cybersecurity and Cybercrimes Act by the UPND administration a law that is not only oppressive but a direct assault on the fundamental freedoms of our people.
At a time when Zambia is grappling with deepening poverty, soaring economy, youth unemployment, crumbling infrastructure, a failing healthcare system, and a broken education sector, this government has chosen to prioritize surveillance over service, control over compassion.
Instead of enacting policies that protect and grow our natural wealth our minerals, our agriculture, and our border revenues the UPND has chosen to institutionalize fear and tighten its grip on power through legislation that echoes colonial-era tactics.
This law forces ICT companies to monitor and report private communications, all under the vague pretext of identifying critical information. A term so loosely defined it can be twisted to target critics, suppress dissent, and criminalize free expression. It’s not a cybersecurity law it’s a censorship law in disguise.
This is not the leadership Zambians fought for. We did not vote for oppression wrapped in the language of democracy. We did not vote to be watched, silenced, and punished for thinking differently.
While Zambians are calling for solutions to hunger, inequality, and corruption, President Hakainde Hichilema and his administration are busy plotting secretive constitutional amendments and pushing repressive laws aimed solely at consolidating power and silencing opposition.
The timing of the Cybersecurity Act passed during national outrage over proposed constitutional changes is no accident. It is part of a broader, calculated agenda to muzzle the public, kill debate, and turn Zambia into a digital dictatorship.
Let’s be clear, Zambia does not need another form of authoritarianism. What we need is bold, visionary leadership leadership that invests in people, not spyware. That builds schools and hospitals, not surveillance systems.
Mr. President, the real threats to Zambia are not WhatsApp messages or Facebook posts but poverty, corruption, broken promises, and a government that fears its own people.
Zambia deserves better. We stand for freedom, transparency, and accountability not fear, censorship, and control.
Zambians are not the enemy. Poor leadership is. And sadly, that is what Hakainde Hichilema will be remembered for.
Abraham Simpamba
Independent MP in Waiting for Chililabombwe Constituency
Together We Can
Ichalo Bantu!