the legal ailments in the precursor laws, some of which were raised by the five NGOs that petitioned the Court. This is against the backdrop of the current legal regime which has several laws that are inimical to freedom of expression online. The law thus threatens freedom of expression and access to information given the excessive provisions which could allow for arbitrary application or targeting of critical individuals as well as undermining investigative journalism. There is need for fair implementation of the Act and it is noteworthy that in the quarter under review no excessive application of the provision of the law against media practitioners was noted. During the quarter, government launched the National Cyber Security Policy whose rationale is to protect critical information infrastructure in both public and private sectors, develop a coordinated cybersecurity governance structure, provide mechanisms to ensure a safe and secure cyber environment and address inadequate cyber security provisions in the national ICT policy. The overall objective of the policy is to transform the cyberspace in Zambia into a safer environment in order to fully realise the social, economic and strategic benefits of using ICTs36. Specifically, one of the objectives of the policy is to provide cybersecurity education and develop requisite skills in order to attain a culture of cyber security. This is to be attained through development of mechanisms to integrate cybersecurity in all education and training programmes, enhancing the development of cyber security awareness programmes and development of mechanisms to improve cyber security. This is a commendable move as it will help to enhance strategies towards the enhancement of cyber security which establishes a safe environment for the enjoyment of other digital rights such as freedom of expression online. This is even more critical in the present day where a big number of people utilise online spaces and other digital platforms as an extension of the public sphere to express their views and opinions. Similarly, several institutions, including media outlets, utilise various digital tools in their daily activities of gathering information and disseminating publications and productions. It is commendable, then, that the Ministry of Transport and Communications has prioritised education and integration of cybersecurity issues. This will eventually trickle down to media training institutions and also benefit the public at large, teaching them to responsibly exercise their rights and freedoms online in a safe environment. 36 Available at https://www.mtc.gov.zm/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/National-Cybersecurity-Policy2_compressed.pdf State of the Media in Zambia 17