12/02/2026
Zambia’s political system features regular multiparty elections, and some civil liberties are respected. While Zambia experiences democratic transfers of power, opposition parties have faced onerous legal and practical obstacles to fair competition. Restrictive laws that narrow political space and online speech remain in force.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS BY UPND GOVERNMENT
In May, Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) leader Edith Nawaki, Christian Democratic Party (CDP) leader Dan P**e, independent parliamentarian Munir Zulu, Patriotic Front (PF) lawmaker Maureen Mabonga, and civil rights activist Brebner Changala were arrested and faced charges of hate speech, espionage, and sedition for alleging state officials’ involvement in the abduction of independent lawmaker Emmanuel Jay Banda. (He later resurfaced.) The five were freed on bail shortly after being detained.
Police regularly denied or withheld permits for opposition rallies throughout the year, with officials often citing security concerns.
In August, UN rapporteur released a statement expressing concern about restrictions on peaceful demonstrations, and about arrests of opposition figures and rights defenders on spurious charges.
Journalists continued to face harassment and intimidation. Among other incidents, in March, journalist Kasebamashila Kaseba was arrested for criminal libel against a member of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), and reportedly held for four days. In April, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said police detained two journalists and forced them to delete interviews with opposition members. In June, police disrupted operations at Breeze FM in Chipata, after the station hosted PF Secretary General Raphael Nakachinda on a radio program. The case of the former head of state Son is an indication that this government is full of hatred and anger which might be the reason they have failed to deliver according to what citizens where promised. wake up Zambians!.
