Phoenix and Priscilla Banda of Millennium Radio. The most severe incident was the petrol bombing of The Daily Nation on 10 July 2017. A month later Muchinga FM Radio in Chinsali District in the Northern province of Zambia, received threats from a few Patriotic Front supporters after it featured Dr Chishimba Kamwili on a programme which attracted a lot of attention and resulted in robust interaction with listeners. Subsequently, towards the end of the year, suspected PF sympathisers attacked Lusaka 5FM radio for also inviting Dr Kambwili to feature on its ‘Burning Issue’ radio programme. The programme could not take place because of the violence and damage to cars of guests to the station and some of the window panes of the 5FM Radio station. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION ONLINE While Zambia does not have specific legislation to address defamation online, there are several existing pieces of legislation that protect the character of an institution or individual. Not satisfied with the current provisions, the State felt it needed to enact legislation to specifically deal with defamation. On several occasions, government authorities and the Minister of Communication and Transport, Brian Mushimba alluded to intentions by the state to enact such laws. Reports published by the Lusaka Times on 3 February 2017 under the headline “ZICTA to revise ICT Act of 2009 to deal with Cyber Bullying and Online Defamation” indicated government plans for such laws. Through its monitoring of the situation MISA Zambia learnt that the Zambia 126 So This is Democracy? 2017 Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) was in the process of revising pieces of legislation in the ICTs sector to incorporate provisions that address lacunas within the ICT Act of 2009 and the Electronic and Communication Transaction Act of 2009. ZICTA public relations officer Hanford Chaaba said that once revised, the legislations would be able to capture issues such as cyber-bullying and online defamation which would effectively enhance the protection of consumers using ICTs6. A report published on World Press Freedom Day in 2017 headlined “Government to take the Cyber Crime bill to Parliament” indicated the Minister of Transport and Communications, Brian Mushimba’s intention to present legislation to Parliament which included the Cyber Security Bill, Data Protection Bill, and e-Commerce Bill. These bills, which were initially segregated into 5 bills, have to be discussed by Cabinet before they are taken to Parliament. Throughout the year, several citizens were charged under insult laws. A doctor from the western province of Zambia faced charges defaming the President through Facebook. Dr. Kwalela Kafunya was eventually convicted and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment by the Mongu Magistrate court on 10 January, 2018 for defaming the President, by written threats and giving false information. In a separate incident Edward Makayi, an engineering student from DMI Eugene University in Lusaka was arrested in July, for allegedly defaming the President, Cabinet ministers, other senior 6 https://www.lusakatimes.com/2017/02/03/zictarevise-ict-act-2009-deal-cyber-bullying-onlinedefamation/ checked on 14 December 2017