For the attention of President Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia
CC: Eng. Collins Mbulo, Director General of the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA); Eng. Dr. Brilliant Haabenzu, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Technology and Science; Mrs Mwenya Kaela Bwalya (Legal), Permanent Secretary Secretary Ministry of Justice; Dr. Pamela Towela Sambo, Chairperson, Zambia Human Rights Commission; Webster Malido, Director General, Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA); Mulilo Dimas Kabesha, SC, Attorney General of Zambia; Friday Musiyalike Nyambe, Zambia Security Intelligence Services; Graphel Musamba, Inspector General of Police; Schmidt Chintu, Director General Zambia Cyber Security Agency; Abbad Reda, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Zambia; Hussam Baday, Managing Director of Airtel Zambia; Jason Mwanza, Chief Executive Officer, Zamtel; Leah Nakazwe Kooma, Chief Executive Officer, Liquid Intelligent Technologies; Marius Van Vuuren, Country Manager, Paratus.
Around the world, governments deploy internet shutdowns to interfere with election outcomes and undermine democratic participation. This practice harms human rights — we cannot allow it to become normalized. Ahead of the upcoming general elections, we urge the Republic of Zambia to #KeepItOn.
We, the undersigned organizations and members of the #KeepItOn coalition — a global network of over 370 organizations from 106 countries working to end internet shutdowns — appeal to you, President Hakainde Hichilema, to ensure that people in Zambia have unfettered access to the internet, digital platforms, and all other communication channels throughout the upcoming elections on August 13, 2026.
The #KeepItOn coalition welcomes the Ministry of Technology and Science’s commitment to not shut down the internet during the general election and urges your office to issue a directive to the relevant institutions, including the ZICTA, the Ministry of Technology and Science, and all internet service providers (ISPs) operating in the country, to refrain from disrupting access to the internet and digital platforms and to ensure unrestricted access during the electoral cycle and beyond. We further note the government’s statement that it was unable to establish the cause of the 2021 internet shutdown, and urge authorities to continue a transparent investigation into that disruption.
As the people of Zambia prepare to vote, we underscore the critical importance of access to information, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. These rights are essential to inclusive participation and a cornerstone of free, fair, and credible elections. During elections, the free flow of information is also a lifeline that must be protected to allow scrutiny of the entire process. The internet and digital communication platforms have given people unprecedented access to election information and enabled them to express their opinions, interact with candidates, and actively participate in electoral campaigns. Journalists, human rights defenders, and election observers also rely on the internet and digital platforms to carry out their critical role of monitoring, documenting, and reporting on election processes.
Zambia’s shrinking civic space
Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition have also noted with concern the enactment of the Cybercrimes Act and Cybersecurity Act, both of which have the potential to further restrict freedom of expression in the country. These laws come at a time when freedom of expression in Zambia is under attack, with journalists and members of the opposition facing arrest for publications and public utterances perceived to be critical of the government.
We commend the decision of the President not to assent to the Public Gathering Bill, 2026, after its enactment by Parliament The bill, as it is, stands to further restrict the freedom of association and assembly through vague and overbroad provisions. We reiterate the appeal of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Assembly and Association for your government to ensure full protection of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association throughout the electoral cycle.
Zambia’s history of internet shutdowns
Zambian authorities reportedly blocked access to social media platforms and messaging apps including WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram during the August 12, 2021 elections. The shutdown was eventually lifted after civil society organizations challenged the constitutionality of the shutdown order in court. Following this legal challenge, the ZICTA entered into a consent judgment in which it committed to not acting outside its authority to interrupt internet access in the country, and to informing the public of the reason for any future interruption within 36 hours. Similar election-related disruptions were documented in 2016.
In 2020, Freedom House reported another two-day shutdown. Government officials attributed the disruption to heavy rains; however, officials of the United Party for National Development (UPND) alleged the government was responsible for the restriction. There have also been instances of targeted blockings of websites belonging to media outlets operating in the country.
Internet shutdowns harm human rights, worsen crises, and disrupt democratic processes
Internet shutdowns violate fundamental human rights, including freedom of opinion and expression, access to information, freedom of assembly, and the right to vote and to participate in democratic processes such as elections. Cutting off internet access during elections limits the flow of crucial, timely information, silences dissent and opposition voices, and hinders scrutiny and transparency of the electoral process. Shutdowns also create information vacuums, further fueling the spread of hateful and inciting speech, misinformation, and disinformation.
Moreover, shutdowns during elections make it extremely difficult for journalists to report on the ground and verify information with their sources, leaving people inside and outside Zambia without access to trustworthy, credible information. Shutdowns also make it onerous for journalists and human rights defenders to document and verify atrocities committed, thereby enabling perpetrators to evade accountability.
Shutdowns have been proven to hinder vital election-monitoring work undertaken by election observers, including local and international election observer groups, political parties, media outlets, and civil society. Reports from regional and sub-regional election observers underscore the severe impact of these shutdowns on election monitoring, raising questions about the integrity of the election outcomes. For instance, the African Union Election Observation Mission’s preliminary report highlights that Tanzania’s five-day internet blackout during the October 2025 elections blocked citizens’ access to information and severely limited election observers’ ability to monitor critical aspects of the process, including voting, polling station closures, and vote counting.
Additionally, internet shutdowns disrupt people’s lives and daily activities. The 2021 shutdown in Zambia, for instance, brought many economic activities and businesses to a halt: people could not access information, journalists were unable to carry out their work, and businesses lost opportunities.
Internet shutdowns contravene national and international laws
Internet shutdowns contravene national and international human rights law. The Constitution of Zambia, as well as regional and international frameworks such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which Zambia is signatory, protects and promotes the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, assembly, and access to information — both online and offline. The Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa 2019 also calls on States not to “engage in or condone any disruption of access to the internet and other digital technologies for segments of the public or an entire population.”
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has repeatedly underscored the importance of internet connectivity. In 2024, through Resolution 580, the ACHPR called on state parties to ensure open and secure internet access before, during, and after elections. The Commission recently raised concerns about the nationwide internet shutdowns in Tanzania and threats to shut down the internet in Uganda during the countries’ respective elections. It reiterated the importance of the internet in advancing human and peoples’ rights in Africa, particularly given that, for elections to be free, fair and credible, the electorate must have access to information at all stages of the electoral process.
Moreover, in 2023, the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) condemned election-related shutdowns and underscored that “protecting, respecting, and promoting human rights is essential to foster free and fair elections.” It added that by “obstructing the free flow of information, opinions, and expression […] internet shutdowns threaten the legitimacy of the electoral process” and ultimately undermine public trust. The UN Secretary General and other experts have also affirmed that “blanket internet shutdowns and generic blocking and filtering of services are considered by United Nations human rights mechanisms to violate international human rights law.” The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has issued four separate judgments finding that the use of internet shutdowns violates human rights, including freedom of expression, in Togo, Nigeria, Senegal, and Guinea. In countries such as Sudan and Zimbabwe, the High Court has ruled that internet shutdowns are unconstitutional.
Telcos must respect human rights
Under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, telecommunications companies are responsible for preventing or mitigating potential human rights harms they may cause or contribute to, and for providing remedies when and if such harms occur. Telecommunications companies and ISPs operating in Zambia — including MTN Zambia, Airtel Zambia, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, and all other ISPs — must resist any shutdown orders from the government and provide quality, open, and secure access to the internet and digital communication tools throughout the elections and beyond.
Internet shutdowns should never become the norm, whether in Zambia or elsewhere. We encourage businesses in Zambia to integrate the UN Guiding Principles and the OECD Guidelines when responding to censorship and network-disruption requests in any market where they operate.
Recommendations
We call on you, President Hichilema, to:
- Publicly assure people in Zambia that access to the internet, including social media and other digital communications platforms, will remain unrestricted during and after the election.
- Call upon the respective institutions and authorities to refrain from ordering any disruption of telecommunications services, social media platforms, or other digital communication platforms throughout the elections.
- Ensure that telecommunications and ISPs implement all necessary measures to provide high-quality, secure, unrestricted, and uninterrupted internet access throughout the election period and beyond, in line with their quality-of-service and license conditions.
- Honor the 2021 consent judgment entered by ZICTA; and ensure that the authority, telecommunications, and ISPs inform people in Zambia of any potential technical disruptions during the elections, and take all reasonable steps to remedy any such disruptions likely to impact their service quality.
- Uphold human rights and ensure that the Cybercrimes Act and the Cybersecurity Act do not become deliberate tools to suppress freedom of expression before, during and after the elections.
The #KeepItOn coalition urges your office to affirm the commitment made by the Ministry of Technology and Science by assuring the people of Zambia of open, secure and inclusive internet and respect for fundamental rights throughout the election. Please let us know how we can support your efforts to uphold an accessible internet for all in Zambia.
Signatories
- Access Now
- Afghanistan Democracy and Development Organization (ADDO)
- Afia-Amani Grands-Lacs
- African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX)
- AfricTivistes
- Avocats Sans Frontières France
- Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE)
- Bloggers of Zambia- BloggersZM
- Center 4 Humanity Advocacy Knowledge Innovation (K-HAKI)
- CHANGE TANZANIA
- Chapter One Foundation
- Collaboration for International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA)
- Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
- Common Cause Zambia
- Computech Institute
- Cross Border Initiative on Internet Governance (CBIIG)
- Digicivic Initiative
- Digitally Right
- Africa Open Data and Internet Research Foundation
- DigitalSENSE Africa
- FORUMVERT
- Foundation for Internet Rights and Innovation (FIRI)
- Global Voices
- HakiFedha
- Human Rights Consulting Group
- Human Rights Journalists Nigeria
- Imagined Spaces Initiative- Uganda
- INSM Network, Iraq
- International Press Centre
- International Press Institute
- Internet Governance Tanzania Working Group (IGTWG)
- Internet Protection Society (ex-Russia)
- Internet Society DR Congo
- JCA-NET(Japan)
- Jonction, Senegal
- KICTANet
- Kijiji Yeetu
- Koneta Hub – South Sudan
- Ländliche Community Network Initiative (LCNI)
- Life campaign to abolish the death sentence in Kurdistan Network
- Lizu Community Network
- Magamba Network
- Manushya Foundation
- Media Diversity Institute – Armenia
- Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)
- Media Rights Agenda (MRA)
- Miaan Group
- Myanmar Internet Project
- Nafasi Africa
- Nubian Rights Forum
- Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI)
- Opening central Africa coalition (OCA)
- Organization of the Justice Campaign
- Paradigm Initiative (PIN)
- PenPlusBytes
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Subsahara Africa Office
- Rudi International
- Sassoufit collective
- Streetways Uganda (SU)
- SMSWithoutBorders
- Society for The Empowerment of People-STEP
- Targeted Rights Initiative
- Tech & Media Convergency (TMC)
- TechTapestry
- Thraets
- Ubunteam
- Unredacted Inc
- Voices for Interactive Choice and Empowerment (VOICE)
- West Africa Digital Rights Defenders Coalition
- Women Empower and Mentor All (WEmpower)
- YODET
- Zaina Foundation
- Zambian Bloggers Network
- Zambia Free Press Initiative