The Free Press Initiative (FPI) Zambia has expressed concern with the recent passage of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes (Amendment) Bill by Parliament, urging President Hakainde Hichilema to withhold his assent.
FPI Zambia Executive Director, Joan Chirwa, expressed concern over the contents of the proposed amendments, saying they lack the substantive reform and progressive transformation that had been widely anticipated.
“The proposed amendments fall short of addressing long-standing concerns, despite earlier assurances of reform and broad-based consultations,” Ms. Chirwa said in a statement issued to RCV News in Lusaka today.
She warned that certain elements within the bill pose a serious risk of abuse, particularly in the digital age where freedom of expression and access to information are essential for democratic governance and public accountability.
Ms. Chirwa there called on President Hichilema not to sign the bill into law in its current form, describing it as a missed opportunity to enact meaningful digital reforms aligned with democratic values, media freedom, and the protection of fundamental human rights.
She further reminded the President of his stance in 2021, when, as opposition leader, he strongly opposed the very provisions that remain intact in the current version of the bill.
By Christabel Kamunu
