Murdering Zambian Democracy: President HH’s Overreach into Free Speech

By Kapya Kaoma

The President’s overreach into free speech continues to make headlines as the nation looks forward to the 2026 general elections. The Zambia Police Service and the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority recently arrested social media activists for “provocative” statements directed at the president.

The real crime is simply this: posting assertions offensive to the president on social media. If doing so is a crime, we are losing our democracy!

What an irony? President Hichilema rode to power on criticisms and insults directed at his predecessor, Edgar Lungu, but his administration is now arresting citizen employing dissenting voices to engage in the political process. His political opponents are being silenced one by one.

I indeed, the President’s tendency to demean his opponents with vile language, only to silence them when they respond, has exposed the hypocrisy at the heart of his administration. Campaigning means framing one’s opponent in the most negative light to sway public opinion, but when opponents fight back, they’re arrested for “provocative” speech.

The President’s overreach into free speech is greatly concerning; it is inconsistent with democratic ideals. Democracy is about criticizing leaders and holding them accountable; therefore, the President’s actions are a betrayal of the very principles of democracy. Besides, who said the President is above the law or public criticism? Commitment to democracy means allowing people to speak freely without fear of being imprisoned or killed. Calling a president mad, stupid, corrupt, etc., on social media or even in public is only a crime in authoritarian states. In democratic nations across the globe, it is a protected right that each citizen is entitled to! In democratic societies, such as the US, UK, and even in South Africa, people have posted derogatory comments and even false accusations against presidents, prime ministers, and kings on social media, and they are not arrested.

President HH is not the first to be ridiculed in Zambian politics. People have called previous presidents all sorts of names. President HH himself has a long history of using strong language against his opponents, including former President Levy Mwanawasa, whom he infamously referred to as a “cabbage,” Michael Sata, whom he called “Chimbwi,” and he had countlessly called Lungu “foolish” and “stupid.” Now that he is president, when his opponents speak out, they’re met with police brutality and imprisonment. President Chiluba should be crying in his grave to see the value of free expression become a crime in Zambia again, as it did during the Kaunda regime.

This is not a question of whether the President can be criticized but rather about his willingness to engage with criticism and listen to opposing viewpoints. If he can’t handle the heat, then perhaps he should reconsider resigning before he puts most of us in jail. Zambians will always talk and call him names–not everyone is his cadre!

The stakes are high, and the consequences could be catastrophic. In neighboring countries like Congo, Mozambique, and Kenya, leaders have pushed their citizens to the brink of chaos, only to find themselves facing opposition from a united people.

In Zambia, history suggests that men and women in uniform have power because they represent the people, not because they carry firearms. The power of community action lies not in guns but in the collective strength of citizens who refuse to be silenced.

As Zambians, we risk murdering our democracy if we are arrested for what we post on social media.
The president has the power to order the arrests of his opponents. But is this the true essence of power? Is power a means to humiliate and silence opponents, or should it be wielded with a sense of responsibility for the collective good?

Time will tell, but one thing is certain: our democracy is at the crossroads. We can choose to let one man take it away or defend it. Our choice is very future of our beloved country. Future generations are counting on us to do the right thing—oppose the authoritarian attitude of the current administration.