The Refrain of Freedom and HH’s Cyber Security Act

By Kapya Kaoma

It is bewildering to witness once staunch advocates of freedom suddenly support a law designed to quell the very voices that propelled them to power. What stirred Mark Simuuwe, the UPND Media Director, and Amb. Elias Munshya to champion the indefensible—the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act, which President Hakainde Hichilema (HH) once opposed? This Act is riddled with contradictions and appears aimed at tightening control over dissent.

Both Munshya and HH were skilled at using social media to frame their political messages, but now they confront their own painful contradictions. As their grip on authority weakens, they are making a desperate attempt to silence the freedoms they once championed.

The Cyber Security Act is engineered to instill fear in those who dare to challenge HH’s authority. However, public discontent is an unstoppable force, rumbling forward with the power to awaken a body politic long lulled into complacency and potentially stirring fresh waves of opposition against HH and his administration.

With each passing day, my expectations of HH dwindle. Yet, Simuuwe’s assertions that this punitive legislation safeguards citizens and enhances democratic values veer into the absurd, revealing an alarming disconnect from the essence of civil liberties and dismissing the historical struggles endured by Zambians.

Let’s not forget that while past administrations might have put oppressive laws in place, did HH not vow to uplift human rights? Shouldn’t he be tearing down oppressive statutes rather than reinforcing them? The tragic irony lies in the fact that the Cyber Security Act aims to silence Zambians who dare to voice their dissatisfaction with HH’s shortcomings. Armed with a media apparatus now reduced to a mere mouthpiece for the state, HH shapes his propaganda while diverse voices search for refuge in the unpredictable terrain of social media.

This legislation is clearly designed to quell dissent and entrench opposition, serving as a systematic strategy to stifle critics. The suffocating grip of state-controlled media is well-known. In the face of encroaching authoritarianism, social media remains our lifeline—a wild card in an otherwise rigged game. The regime’s intentions are clear: utilize state power to instill fear and suppress dissent.

Undoubtedly, this move fuels HH’s anxiety: the uncontainable roar of the people—a chorus powerful enough to bring tyrants to their knees. By casting a wider net with vague regulations, the HH administration seeks to weaken dissent through systematic intimidation. But a flicker of resistance persists; many remain resolute in their commitment to raise their voices against this tide.

Simuuwe should know better. There can be no negotiation over our rights; they are enshrined in our constitution and intrinsic to our identity. They are not gifts bestowed by the government or the courts; they are ours simply because we exist. It is time for HH and his cohorts to confront this undeniable truth. The democratic principles that elevated him to power must act as guardians of our rights, and we will not stand idly by while they are eroded. We will not falter either—not over our dead bodies.

President HH should know this, Zambia transcends any one political entity, including the UPND. As citizens, we wield the power to assert our rights and vocalize our dissent. Fear doesn’t guide us; rather, our steadfast belief in a brighter Zambia should lead the way—where every voice is heard, and every right is treasured.

Amid oppression, defiance flickers. There are those among us who refuse to bow to HH–he is just human. Moreover, fear cannot extinguish the human spirit that yearns for freedom; our defiant voices will keep HH and his cronies awake at night. Freedom of expression is neither a negotiable token nor a privilege granted by the courts. These rights are hardwired into our Zambian identity—a legacy we must fiercely defend.

It is time for HH and his supporters to accept this truth. We will not relinquish our rights, nor will we allow their erosion to go unchallenged. We shall cling fiercely to the principles that unite us.
This struggle transcends the present; it is a battle for the future—a legacy etched in the fires of resistance.

In every generation, the refrain of freedom is the same, fight, fight, fight! The oppressor will never cede their grip without relentless struggle. Together, we are the architects of our own liberation, and we can only achieve it with courage, determination and conviction.