STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 2022 media and assured the sector that his incoming administration would improve the freedom of expression and media environment. This was welcome news after years of decline under former President Lungu. A year into his presidency, Hichilema assented to the Penal Code (Amendment) Act number 25 of 2022, which repealed section 69 of the Penal Code and essentially abolished the death penalty and revoked criminal defamation of the president. the Cyber Crimes and Cyber Security Act of 2021, which contain repressive clauses. When passed, the Cyber Crimes and Cyber Security Act of 2021, was criticised for being aimed at policing the cyber space and gagging freedom of expression and speech of government critics and opponents.(5) While there are a number of positive aspects to the law, the Act falls short on the protection of individual rights to privacy, anonymity and freedom of expression online. This was particularly significant considering the numerous arrests of social media users sharing videos and content critical of the president.(3) Many provisions in the law are vague and overly broad and extend the powers of state authorities to restrict and punish online expression.(6) The revocation of criminal defamation of the president was welcomed by the media given that this law had been in place since 1965, keeping the media wary of speaking truth to power. The current administration was also expected to look into amending Zambia’s Public Order Act of 1955, which has been primarily used to restrict the civil liberties of citizens. When announcing the deletion of the restrictive clauses, which criminalised defamation, President Hichilema tweeted “promised to amend laws that inhibit democracy, human rights, good governance & basic freedoms”. The vague and overly broad provisions of the Public Order Act (POA) 1955 have been cited for limiting rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association during Lungu’s tenure. There are those who believe that by fulfilling some of his promises, he has restored trust between public officials and the citizens; in fact his supporters wax lyrical over his economic transformation and democratic reforms. The police have used it to shut down student protests, arrest human rights defenders and popular musician Pilato. While he has received positive reviews, others think that President Hichilema has not delivered as much as expected. In an analysis that appeared in African Arguments, academic Sishuwa Sishuwa claimed: “The positive coverage Hichilema is receiving in western circles contrasts sharply with growing criticism at home … Much of the disillusionment centres on the economy. “On democratic reform, Hichilema has disappointed too. After over a year in office, his administration is yet to repeal repressive legislation that undermines democracy, nor enacted any that promotes human rights and strengthens accountability.”(4) LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS A blemish that marks Zambia’s otherwise progressive reforms is the presence of obstructive legislation that remains on the statute books such as the Public Order Act and 62 Despite promises dating back to the early 2000s, Zambia has still not finalised the adoption of an access to information law. Over the years, numerous advocacy organisations have been pushing to have the law advanced through parliament but successive governments have committed to the process and then stopped short of signing. In January the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC), the Panos Institute Southern Africa, and MISA Zambia made a vigorous appeal to the President to enact the ATI law prior to the Summit for Democracy held in Zambia in March 2023.(7) Also on centre stage is the issue of media self-regulation, which has been an ongoing conversation on the Zambian media landscape. While there have been a number of auditions for such a mechanism, they have never materialised into an enduring initiative. The conversation was kick-started by the President during a radio interview when he emphasised the need for journalists to enhance their skills and promote professional standards. He went on to urge the fraternity to regulate itself.