| Political Rights | 22 / 40 |
| Civil Liberties | 31 / 60 |
Zambia’s political system features regular multiparty elections, and some civil liberties are respected. While Zambia experiences democratic transfers of power, opposition parties have faced onerous legal and practical obstacles to fair competition. Restrictive laws that narrow political space and online speech remain in force.
- In May, Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) leader Edith Nawaki, Christian Democratic Party (CDP) leader Dan Pule, independent parliamentarian Munir Zulu, Patriotic Front (PF) lawmaker Maureen Mabonga, and civil rights activist Brebner Changala were arrested and faced charges of hate speech, espionage, and sedition for alleging state officials’ involvement in the abduction of independent lawmaker Emmanuel Jay Banda. (He later resurfaced.) The five were freed on bail shortly after being detained.
- Police regularly denied or withheld permits for opposition rallies throughout the year, with officials often citing security concerns.
- In August, UN rapporteurs released a statement expressing concern about restrictions on peaceful demonstrations, and about arrests of opposition figures and rights defenders on spurious charges.
- Journalists continued to face harassment and intimidation. Among other incidents, in March, journalist Kasebamashila Kaseba was arrested for criminal libel against a member of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), and reportedly held for four days. In April, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said police detained two journalists and forced them to delete interviews with opposition members. In June, police disrupted operations at Breeze FM in Chipata, after the station hosted PF Secretary General Raphael Nakachinda on a radio program.
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For additional background information, see last year’s full report.
A1. Was the current head of government or other chief national authority elected through free and fair elections? 2 / 4
| Was the current head of government or other chief national authority elected through free and fair elections? | 2 / 4 |
| Were the current national legislative representatives elected through free and fair elections? | 2 / 4 |
| Are the electoral laws and framework fair, and are they implemented impartially by the relevant election management bodies? | 2 / 4 |
B1. Do the people have the right to organize in different political parties or other competitive political groupings of their choice, and is the system free of undue obstacles to the rise and fall of these competing parties or groupings? 2 / 4
| Do the people have the right to organize in different political parties or other competitive political groupings of their choice, and is the system free of undue obstacles to the rise and fall of these competing parties or groupings? | 2 / 4 |
| Is there a realistic opportunity for the opposition to increase its support or gain power through elections? | 2 / 4 |
Score Change: The score declined from 3 to 2 because opposition gatherings were selectively restricted, hampering opposition parties’ efforts to increase their support bases.
| Are the people’s political choices free from domination by forces that are external to the political sphere, or by political forces that employ extrapolitical means? | 3 / 4 |
B4. Do various segments of the population (including ethnic, racial, religious, gender, LGBT+, and other relevant groups) have full political rights and electoral opportunities? 3 / 4
| Do various segments of the population (including ethnic, racial, religious, gender, LGBT+, and other relevant groups) have full political rights and electoral opportunities? | 3 / 4 |
C1. Do the freely elected head of government and national legislative representatives determine the policies of the government? 2 / 4
| Do the freely elected head of government and national legislative representatives determine the policies of the government? | 2 / 4 |
| Are safeguards against official corruption strong and effective? | 2 / 4 |
C3. Does the government operate with openness and transparency? 2 / 4
| Does the government operate with openness and transparency? | 2 / 4 |
| Are there free and independent media? | 1 / 4 |
| Are individuals free to practice and express their religious faith or nonbelief in public and private? | 3 / 4 |
| Is there academic freedom, and is the educational system free from extensive political indoctrination? | 2 / 4 |
| Are individuals free to express their personal views on political or other sensitive topics without fear of surveillance or retribution? | 2 / 4 |
| Is there freedom of assembly? | 2 / 4 |
| Is there freedom for nongovernmental organizations, particularly those that are engaged in human rights– and governance-related work? | 2 / 4 |
| Is there freedom for trade unions and similar professional or labor organizations? | 3 / 4 |
| Is there an independent judiciary? | 2 / 4 |
| Does due process prevail in civil and criminal matters? | 2 / 4 |
| Is there protection from the illegitimate use of physical force and freedom from war and insurgencies? | 2 / 4 |
| Do laws, policies, and practices guarantee equal treatment of various segments of the population? | 2 / 4 |
| Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement, including the ability to change their place of residence, employment, or education? | 3 / 4 |
G2. Are individuals able to exercise the right to own property and establish private businesses without undue interference from state or nonstate actors? 2 / 4
| Are individuals able to exercise the right to own property and establish private businesses without undue interference from state or nonstate actors? | 2 / 4 |
| Do individuals enjoy personal social freedoms, including choice of marriage partner and size of family, protection from domestic violence, and control over appearance? | 2 / 4 |
| Do individuals enjoy equality of opportunity and freedom from economic exploitation? | 1 / 4 |
