Political violence rose in November, after President Hakainde Hichilema was stoned at a public event, sparking two attacks on the political opposition by youth ‘cadre’ connected to Hichilema’s United Party for National Development (UPND). The attack on Hichilema was reportedly carried out by disgruntled miners in the town of Chingola, whose stone throwing forced the President to abandon an address he was giving. It also led a UPND MP to threaten retaliatory action and declare a return of cadreism, a phenomenon in which party-affiliated youths are used by politicians to perpetrate interparty-political violence and that, until recently, was a feature of Zambian politics. Shortly afterwards, individuals wearing UPND party regalia stormed the offices of the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) party, forcefully entering the building and damaging property. In a separate incident, the PF’s acting president, Given Lubinda, was beaten and briefly abducted by suspected UPND cadre.     

Sources:British Broadcasting Corporation,News Diggers (1),Lusaka Times,News Diggers (2),Catholic Information Service for Africa,Journal of African Elections

On 15 September, a magistrate’s court in Zambia sentenced two men to two years in prison with hard labour for attempting to use witchcraft to kill President Hakainde Hichilema. The high-profile case has raised fair trial concerns. The men, who are traditional healers, were convicted of ‘professing’ witchcraft and possessing charms under the colonial-era Witchcraft Act, having been found with various ‘ritual objects,’ including a live chameleon and white powder. The prosecution alleged the men had confessed to receiving money from the brother of a former opposition MP to curse the president. Witchcraft prosecutions are rare in Zambia’s formal courts, which have struggled to apply objective evidentiary standards (cases are generally heard in traditional courts). In this case, an expert commentator warned of a lack of forensically testable evidence connecting the accused to any demonstratable harm and that it likely breached their right to a fair trial and set a troubling precedent. 

Sources:Zambia Monitor,British Broadcasting Corporation,The Continent,Associated Press News,International Network Against Witchcraft Accusations and Ritual Attacks 

On 8 April, President Hakainde Hichilema signed into law the Cyber Security Act and the Cyber Crimes Act, replacing previous 2021 cyber legislation. The newly enacted laws mandate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) companies to intercept and monitor electronic communications, including phone calls, emails, and text messages, to detect and report ‘critical information’ to authorities. Although the government stated that interceptions will require a court warrant, civil society groups argue the legislation lacks sufficient safeguards and poses risks to privacy and freedom of expression. Another aspect of the laws is the criminalization of ‘misleading’ digital headlines, which could undermine press freedom. The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) announced plans to challenge the laws in the High Court.

Sources:National Assembly of Zambia (1),National Assembly of Zambia (2),Zambia Monitor (1),Zambia Monitor (2),Committee to Protect Journalists,British Broadcasting Corporation,Lusaka Times

On 18 February, a tailings dam collapsed at a Chinese-owned copper mine in Northern Zambia, releasing more than 50 million litres of toxic waste into the ecosystem of the Kafue River, causing widespread environmental damage. The Kafue River basin is home to approximately 12 million Zambians, who are dependent on the river for fishing, irrigation and industry. The spillage was reported to have shut off the supply of water to half a million people, as well as contaminating crops and poisoning fish and livestock. A preliminary investigation into the disaster by Zambian engineers pointed to potential negligence on the part of mine owners, Sino Metals Leach Zambia, but also highlighted regulatory weaknesses.

Sources:Mining News Zambia,Daily Maverick,Politico,Zambia Monitor