PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has delivered his clearest and toughest message yet: the era of digital recklessness in Zambia is over.
Speaking in Lusaka, the President said the government will no longer tolerate a situation where social media platforms are allowed to become dumping grounds for lies, hate, and deliberately destabilising propaganda disguised as “opinions.”
He did not sugarcoat the problem. He did not dance around it. He called it what it is: a national threat hiding behind a smartphone.
“For too long, irresponsible people have used social media to mislead the public and fuel hostility,” he said. “This is not freedom. This is abuse.” 
A DIGITAL JUNGLE—WHERE ANYONE CAN LIE WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE
The President tore into the disturbing trend that has turned Zambia’s online platforms into chaotic arenas where anyone—anonymous or otherwise—can publish anything without a shred of evidence.And with no sense of responsibility.
Suddenly, everyone with a data bundle calls themselves a “news breaker,” a “whistle-blower,” or an “analyst.”
The result is a digital jungle full of half-baked stories, doctored images, fabricated scandals, and inflammatory posts tailored to mislead gullible readers who mistake noise for truth.
President Hichilema minced no words: “We can not allow a society where rumours spread faster than facts.
”Professional journalists spend years learning ethics, verification processes, and accountability. Yet their work now competes with anonymous trolls manufacturing stories from their bedrooms.”
The President labelled this a “dangerous distortion of journalism” that is poisoning public discourse.
MISINFORMATION IS NOT A JOKE. IT IS A WEAPON.
The President made it clear that misinformation is not harmless entertainment.
It is a threat to stability, unity, and the safety of ordinary citizens.
He pointed to the surge of online content designed to sow discord—tribal insults masquerading as political commentary, seditious claims wrapped in activism, and deliberate falsehoods circulated to stir fear or anger.
“These are calculated acts,” the President stressed.
“And we are going to confront them.”
Hate speech does not become acceptable just because it is typed instead of spoken. Fabricated stories do not become harmless because they are shared behind a screen.
And malicious rumours do not become truth simply because thousands of people forward them.
The President emphasised that Zambia will no longer turn a blind eye while a few reckless individuals exploit the digital space to cause unnecessary tension.
REGULATION IS NOT REPRESSION. IT IS DEFENCE.
To those who try to twist the government’s intentions and spread fear that “regulation equals censorship,” the President issued a sharp rebuttal: “No democracy anywhere on earth allows citizens to mislead or abuse others in the name of freedom.”
He declared that Zambia will protect free expression—but it will not entertain those who weaponise that freedom to spread chaos.
His message was firm: regulation is protection, not suppression.
The government has no plan to silence debate or criticism. What it will silence is the lawlessness that has turned social media into a playground for reckless behaviour.
“We refuse to be intimidated by people who confuse rights with irresponsibility,” he said.
CITIZENS MUST STOP FEEDING THE LIES
The President placed part of the blame on the public’s willingness to share unverified rumours without thinking.
“You can not complain about misinformation while forwarding everything you receive,” he said.
This is the uncomfortable truth: misinformation thrives not only because someone created it, but because thousands share it mindlessly.
President Hichilema urged communities to break this cycle. Parents must guide children. Schools must teach digital literacy. Community leaders must stop celebrating sensational lies as entertainment.
“Sharing lies is participation in the problem,” the President said bluntly.
A DIGITAL CLEAN-UP IS COMING
President Hichilema confirmed that the government is already strengthening cyber laws, updating enforcement tools, and preparing a framework that will empower institutions to tackle online misconduct head-on.
This is not a mere warning; it is preparation.The reforms aim to protect citizens from online harassment, data misuse, and fabricated posts designed to humiliate, intimidate, or mislead.No one—student, professional, public servant, or private citizen—should fear being attacked by anonymous accounts dedicated to insults and character assassination.
The President emphasised that these reforms are being developed with input from civil society, legal experts, and technology professionals.
Zambia’s digital environment is changing rapidly, and the laws must change with it.
A FINAL WARNING TO THOSE ABUSING SOCIAL MEDIA
President Hichilema closed his speech with a message that felt less like a reminder and more like a line drawn in the sand.
“If you use digital platforms to create confusion, spread lies, or endanger others, understand this clearly: those days are ending.”
He insisted that social media must become an instrument of development—not a stage for confusion and manufactured outrage.
His tone was unmistakable: Zambia will not be held hostage by digital chaos.
THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR
The President’s stance is bold, unapologetic, and absolutely necessary. Social media abuse has been tolerated for too long. It has undermined unity, polluted public debate, and exposed innocent citizens to harm.
The President has made it clear that Zambia is taking back control of its digital space—not to silence voices, but to protect truth, dignity, and national stability.
And to those who thrive on misinformation, manipulation, and digital disorder, the message is simple:the free ride is over.
