Zambia Is No Longer a Democracy: President Hichilema’s Cyber Law Assent Is a Step Too Far
By Thandiwe Ketis Ngoma
On April 8th, 2025, President Hakainde Hichilema signed into law the new Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act, a deeply alarming move that marks a dangerous turning point for Zambia’s democracy. This legislation, cloaked in the language of safety and digital governance, is nothing short of draconian. It poses a grave threat to civil liberties and undermines the very democratic ideals upon which this nation was built.
This is not the “New Dawn” Zambians were promised.
Far from being a protective measure for citizens, the Act grants sweeping powers to law enforcement agencies to intercept communications, seize digital devices, and demand data from service providers without meaningful judicial oversight. It also includes vague and overly broad definitions of offenses such as “false information,” “cyber harassment,” and “hate speech,” all of which can be weaponized against critics, journalists, and political opponents.
Under the guise of cybersecurity, this law opens the door to mass surveillance, arbitrary arrests, censorship, and the criminalization of free expression, particularly on social media platforms where dissenting voices often find their outlet. These are the tools of authoritarianism, not democracy.
Zambia was once held up as a regional example of democratic progress, a nation that demonstrated peaceful transitions of power, upheld press freedom, and encouraged civic participation. But with the stroke of a pen, the President has chosen to walk away from that legacy. The very administration that campaigned on transparency, the rule of law, and human rights is now actively eroding the freedoms it vowed to protect.
Let us be clear: laws like these do not protect the people. They protect power.
The enactment of this law is not only unnecessary, it is indefensible. Civil society organizations, journalists, lawyers, academics, and international rights watchdogs have all raised the alarm. They warned that the law could be used to target political opponents, suppress legitimate criticism, and turn Zambia into a surveillance state. They offered constructive input. Yet their efforts were met with silence or outright dismissal.
And the signs are already visible.
Journalists and activists now face potential imprisonment for sharing information deemed “misleading” by the state.
Whistleblowers risk prosecution instead of protection.
Social media users, including youth and student leaders, may be monitored or punished for expressing their opinions online.
Service providers are compelled to hand over user data, creating an environment of fear and self-censorship.
Now we must ask the difficult questions:
If fear replaces freedom, is it still democracy?
If the government decides what is permissible speech, are we truly free?
And if a president elected on the promise of democratic reform instead embraces repression, what does that say about our future?
Zambia is at a critical crossroads. This law is not just a policy misstep; it is a betrayal of democratic values. The time to speak up is now. We must resist the normalization of authoritarianism masquerading as regulation. We must hold our leaders accountable, not just for what they say, but for what they do.
The legacy of our democracy is not in the hands of the powerful. It is in the courage of the people to defend it.
Our voices are our power. If we stay silent now, we risk losing them altogether.