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Abuse of free speech: A threat to information integrity, democracy

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Zambia’s media landscape has undergone a significant shift, with digital and social media platforms sparking a surge of creative expression.

These platforms have become a megaphone for marginalized voices, providing a space that supports freedom of speech and self-expression—freedoms that traditional media often failed to offer in the past.

The Constitution of Zambia, as the supreme law of the land, recognizes and guarantees the freedom of expression under Article 20.

According to Article 20(i), “Except with his own consent, no person shall be hindered on the enjoyment of his freedom of expression, that is to say, freedom to hold opinions without interference, freedom to impart and communicate ideas and information without interference, whether the communication be to the public generally or to any person or class of persons, and freedom from interference with his correspondence.”

The enactment of the Access to Information (ATI) law by the 7th President, Hakainde Hichilema, has further facilitated media freedom by ensuring unhindered access to critical public information.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia noted that the ATI law marked “a historic milestone for media freedom and transparency in Zambia after two decades of relentless advocacy and discussion.”

MISA Zambia stated, “This significant achievement reflects a positive step towards fostering an open and informed society and a transparent government.”

However, free speech in Zambia is increasingly becoming a divisive rather than a unifying factor as freedom of expression is being abused.

While it remains a fundamental right essential for democratic participation and self-expression, its misuse poses serious threats to information integrity and democracy.

In an interview, Kelvin Phiri, a third-year student at the University of Zambia, described the growing abuse of free speech on media platforms as “a double-edged sword.”

He noted that while these platforms provide the public with freedom of speech, they also create problems that affect the flow of information and democracy.

“One of the major challenges of the abuse of free speech is the spread of fake news, which is a complex and unresolved issue,” he said.

Phiri further explained that detecting fake content remains a significant challenge, one that continues to impact information integrity and democracy by spreading misinformation.

“Fake news is designed in a way to closely resemble the truth, which makes it hard to determine its authenticity,” he stated.

Towela, a freelance journalist, echoed similar concerns, emphasizing that the abuse of free speech poses a significant danger to information integrity and democracy.

She noted that the misuse of free speech can lead to the spread of misinformation and disinformation, disrupting public discourse and eroding trust in institutions.

“Misleading information causes confusion among citizens and undermines trust in media institutions,” Towela mentioned.

She further warned that the abuse of freedom of speech could also undermine democratic processes, such as elections, by manipulating public opinion through the spread of misinformation.

Where there is rampant misinformation and disinformation, significant harm to health, legal, educational, or economic sectors is the inevitable result.

Unchecked abuse of free speech can also lead to the prevalence of propaganda and biased reporting, which further damages the credibility of information sources.

To sum up, while freedom of expression is a fundamental right essential to democratic societies, its abuse has far-reaching consequences on information integrity and democracy.

To mitigate these consequences, it is crucial to promote critical thinking and media literacy and to implement measures that can limit the abuse of free speech by the necessary authorities.

This will help reduce the spread of misinformation and disinformation.

This story is sponsored by Project Aliyense.

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Zambia: APP leader lampoons PF over pledge to reverse forfeited properties

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Leader of one of Zambia’s opposition parties, Advocates for People’s Prosperity (APP), Mwenye Musenge, has criticised the Patriotic Front (PF) over its promise to reverse forfeited properties if the party won the 2026 presidential election.

Musenge, who was reacting to a statement credited to the PF Member of Parliament (MP) for Lukashya Province, George Chisanga, described the PF’s promise as a betrayal, saying the declaration had exposed the party’s disregard for accountability and justice.

The APP leader, who spoke to Zambia Monitor in a telephone interview from Kitwe, expressed shock that Chisanga, a former Law Association of Zambia president, would endorse what he termed a “regressive agenda,” accusing the PF of prioritising the protection of corrupt individuals over the welfare of citizens.

“This declaration reveals the PF’s true intentions, returning to power not to serve Zambians, but to shield their corrupt network and restore stolen assets,” Musenge said.

He alleged that former President Edgar Lungu’s consistent calls to protect his family, who he claimed cannot explain their amassed wealth, further demonstrate the party’s self-serving mission.

Musenge further described the PF as “a political carcass animated by greed and nostalgia for its days of unchecked looting,” and accused its leaders of leaving Zambia impoverished while enriching themselves.

“Allowing them near power again would be akin to handing a butcher’s knife to a thief already drenched in the blood of the nation’s resources.

“The PF represents everything wrong with Zambian politics—a relic of the past clinging to survival through recycled lies and corrupt agendas,” he added.

Musenge went on to call for the party to be permanently eradicated, saying it had no vision, morality, or credibility to serve Zambians.

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Nigerian Senate confirms influx of terrorists from Mali, Burkina Faso into the country 

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The Nigerian Senate has raised the alarm over the influx of terrorists from Mali and Burkina Faso who operate in the name of Lakurawa, into Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna and Niger States in the northern parts of the country.

The Upper Chamber, which raised the alarm during plenary on Wednesday, called on the military to set up early warning mechanisms to forestall further incursions by terrorist groups as well as maintain presence and vigilance in the affected communities to halt the activities of the terror group from spreading further across the region.

The resolutions of the Senate were sequel to a motion titled, “Urgent need for the federal government to take stringent measures to stop the infiltration of a group of violent terrorists, known as Lakurawa, from entrenching themselves in some northwest states of Sokoto and Kebbi,” and was sponsored by the senator representing Kebbi North, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, and co- sponsored by Senators Adamu Aliero, from Kebbi Central, and Garba Musa Maidoki, representing Kebbi South.

While presenting the motion, Senator Abdullahi said:

“The Senate is aware that a group of terrorists from neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, known as Lakurawa, has infiltrated the country through the Nigeria-Niger border, at Illela, Tangaza and Silame Local Government Areas of Sokoto and are from there, attacking communities in Augie and Arewa LGAs in Kebbi State.

“Recall that this violent gang of terrorists had raided and dispossessed these communities, prior to the large-scale invasion of Mera, a village in Augie Local Government, on November 8, 2024, killing more than 20 people and fleeing with their livestock, amounting to hundreds of millions of naira.

“Senate is aware that Kebbi State government promptly responded by sending a delegation with relief materials to the affected villages and assistance to the families of the deceased.

“Aware that Senator Yahaya A. Abdullahi (Kebbi North) and Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi North Central) and Senator Garba Musa Maidoki (Kebbi South), along with some members of the House of Representatives from Kebbi State, have been to those areas, to commiserate with victims of the attacks on behalf of the National Assembly.

“Aware that if timely, adequate and decisive measures are not taken, this group can spread its reign of terror to other northern parts of the country and beyond.

“Notes the prompt response of the ministry of defence and the armed forces who despatched a well-armed military response squad that was able to dislodge the terrorists and secured the release of herds of cattle and other livestock stolen by the terrorists. These foreigners have invaded the country.

“We need to nip the situation in the bud, they have international connections, heavily armed with very dangerous weapons, the federal government should take the matter very seriously.

‘These terrorists are well armed with highly sophisticated weapons, this is a very serious matter on national security, they control the whole of Northern Mali and now attacking Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna, Niger, and others. The time to act is now, we have to take action on how to tame terrorism.”

He said the Senate should revisit past resolutions on terrorism and send them to the Presidency for immediate action.

”I want us to recall what happened in the 8th and 9th Senates. We discussed extensively how we can stem the tide of banditry and terrorism. We made far-reaching recommendations, and we asked the Executive arm of government to implement those resolutions.

“It is still relevant for us to insist that those resolutions should be implemented, if we do so, it will reduce the incidences of banditry and insurgency in the country. We can reduce it to the barest minimum.”

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