from ARNOLD MULENGA in Lusaka, Zambia
Zambia Bureau
LUSAKA, (CAJ News) – ZAMBIA’S ruling party has lambasted the country’s telecommunications regulator, accusing it of failing to stop attacks on the president and citizens in the cyber space.
This unprecedented criticism by the United Party for National Development (UPND) on the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has revived concern that the government of President Hakainde Hichilema is increasingly becoming dictatorial.
This tirade against ZICTA is said to be the cause of the resignation of the regulators’s Director General, Choolwe Andrew Nalubamba, this past weekend.
The Zambia Police Service (ZPS) has not been spared the attack by the ruling party for the alleged abuse of Hichilema and citizens online.
“We cannot and will not tolerate the continued embarrassment of our president as if we are a nation without laws and institutions,” said Cheelo Katambo, UPND Deputy Media Director.
“It is highly disappointing that such baseless accusations and insults against the head of state and indeed ordinary citizens have been allowed to flourish under the watch of both ZICTA and the Zambia Police.”
Katambo said the two institutions had a duty to protect the integrity of the head of state and to ensure that “those responsible for spreading malicious lies” were brought to book.
“However, their continued inaction raises serious questions about their commitment to enforcing the law and maintaining order in the country,” Katambo said.
He said if ZICTA and the Zambia police service did not take action against attacks on the president on the cyber space, the ruling party would “have no choice but to act.”
“We will explore every possible legal avenue to hold both ZICTA and the police accountable for their failure to protect the dignity of our head of state and party,” Katambo said.
Then a long time opposition leader, Hichilema (aged 62), was elected in 2021 after defeating President Edgar Lungu (67) of the Patriotic Front (PF).
The two men and their parties are involved in a toxic spat ahead of the 2026 elections.
The Constitutional Court is on December to rule if Lungu is eligible for another term.
Prior to Nalubamba’s resignation, UPND had tasked the ZICTA board to “act.”
“The board of ZICTA has received and accepted the resignation of Director General, Eng Choolwe Andrew Nalubamba,” Prof Mundia Muya, board chairperson, stated.
– CAJ News