Arrest of prominent journalist condemned

Zambian journalist Thomas Zgambo is facing up to seven years in prison for his reporting on corruption and poor governance. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) notes that it is the third time that he has risked imprisonment for his online journalism, a growing threat for journalists in many African countries. On 6 August, Zgambo was arrested on allegations of publishing seditious material, which under Zambian law includes content advocating for the overthrow of the government or raising ‘disaffection’ among the public, for his commentary on the online news outlet Zambian Whistleblower, which called on the government to be transparent about any links between a property it had rented and President Hakainde Hichilema. Zgambo told CPJ that the police detained him in a cell until 8 August in an attempt to get him to reveal his sources. When Hichilema won a landslide victory in 2021, he vowed that ‘the media will be freed’ amid broader rhetoric on improving conditions for the press in Zambia. Despite these commitments, CPJ has since documented several attacks on the press, including arrests of journalists covering protests and the opposition. ‘President Hakainde Hichilema's promises to ensure media freedom in Zambia ring hollow after a journalist who criticised him was arrested and charged with an offence that carries a lengthy prison term,’ said CPJ Africa programme co-ordinator Muthoki Mumo. ‘Zambian authorities must immediately drop all legal proceedings against Thomas Allan Zgambo. In addition, Zambia should scrap laws that criminalisse the work of the press.’