Chapter One Foundation has raised serious concerns over the Cyber Security Bill 2024 and the Cybercrimes Bill 2024, urging President Hakainde Hichilema not to assent to the controversial legislation in its current form, warning it could undermine Zambia’s democracy and fundamental human rights.
In an interview on Tuesday, Chapter One Foundation Executive Director Josias Kalala cautioned that the proposed laws, if enacted without substantial revisions, risk entrenching undemocratic tendencies and threatening civil liberties.
“While we acknowledge the need for strong cybersecurity frameworks, such laws must strike a careful and deliberate balance between national security and the protection of civil liberties,” Kalala stated. “Regrettably, the bills in their current form fall short of this balance, posing risks of abuse, overreach, and the erosion of Zambia’s democratic fabric.”
Kalala emphasized that Chapter One Foundation, in partnership with other civil society organizations, had repeatedly warned against enacting the bills without robust scrutiny of their potential implications on democratic governance and the enjoyment of basic rights.
The Cyber Security and Cybercrimes Bills, passed by Parliament earlier this year, have drawn criticism from legal experts, media stakeholders, and human rights advocates who argue that they could be used to suppress dissent, limit press freedom, and criminalize legitimate digital expression.
The Foundation’s call adds to a growing chorus of voices appealing to the President to return the bills to Parliament for reconsideration and further consultation.