A latest survey report conducted by AFROBAROMETER, an international think tank present in Zambia, has sounded an alarm for eroding democracy, saying people sense a decline in freedom of speech.
this is according to data just released which indicate that only about one-third or 36 percent of Zambians feel comfortable offering criticism of president EDGAR LUNGU.
A classic example is two days ago, president LUNGU called on Lawyers in the LAW association of ZAMBIA should to join politics when they issued a statement regarding the invocation of article 31 of the constitution.
And the report says the proportion expressing a need to “be careful what they say about politics” has risen by 10 percentage points, from 62 percent to 72 percent, between 2012 and 2017.
It further states that although citizens of have long been committed to the ideals of democracy, their satisfaction with the way democracy actually works has sunk from a majority 68 percent in 2012 to a minority 49 percent in 2017.
Only about one-third (36%) of Zambians feel comfortable offering criticism of PRESIDENT LUNGU, yet most Zambians favour checks on the president’s executive powers.
More than six in 10 (64%) think the president should be monitored by Parliament, and seven in 10 (71%) say he should always obey the laws and courts.
At least eight in 10 Zambians (84%) favour a limit of two five-year terms for the presidency.
Attitudes toward emergency measures are mixed with Zambians opposing governmental violations of the right to privacy (e.g. monitoring phone communications) and the right to political association (e.g. banning organizations).
But, at least before the imposition of emergency measures in July 2017, citizens were less robust in defending freedom of the press and freedom of movement.
This is an Executive summary of a statement obtained by The Speech Analyst from AFROBAROMETER Today.
Political space in Zambia
To defend democracy, citizens require an open political environment. At minimum, they must be
able to speak their minds about public affairs, including criticizing government if criticism is
warranted.
Yet Zambians express concern that the political space for free expression is closing.
In surveys over the years in Zambia, Afro-barometer has asked, “In this country, how free are you to say what you think?” Between 2012 and 2017, the proportion of citizens saying “completely free” or “somewhat free” has declined sharply, from 81% to 62%.
On a separate question on the same subject, more than seven out of 10 Zambians (72%) now say that they
must “always” or “often” be “careful of what they say about politics,” a proportion that has risen by 10 percentage points over the past five years from 2012-2017
Respondents were asked: Please tell me if there is more or less freedom now for each of the following things
compared to a few years ago, or are things about the same:
Your own freedom to say what you think of the about politics?
In parallel, the 2017 survey also reveals fall-offs in the perceived freedom of the press.
More Zambians think that conditions have recently worsened (41%) than improved (35%) in terms of “the media’s freedom to investigate or report on government mistakes or to criticize government’s actions or performance”.
Perceived restrictions on free expression also spill over into an erosion of associational life.
Slightly more Zambians think that the country has become worse off (39%) rather than better off (35%) in terms of “the freedom of independent groups or non-governmental organizations to speak, hold meetings, or advocate their views.”
Most importantly, the declining quality of elections and the government’s mistreatment of the country’s main opposition leader have seemingly convinced Zambians that the country now has less (46%) rather than more (35%) freedom for the opposition parties to promote alternative views and operate without hindrance.
Respondents were asked: Please tell me if there is more or less freedom now for each of the following things compared to a few years ago, or are things about the same:
- Your own freedom to join any political organization you want?
- The media’s freedom to investigate and report on government mistakes or to criticize government actions or performance?
- The freedom of independent groups or non-governmental organizations to speak, hold meetings,
or advocate their views freely, including criticizing the government if they choose?
- The freedom of opposition parties or candidates to speak or hold rallies, state their views, or criticize
the government?
A shrinking political arena silences some people more than others. In a sign of democratic health, almost two out of three Zambians (65%) say they feel free to criticize civil servants, many of whom are non-partisan professionals.
Majorities even feel free to criticize members of
Parliament and local councillors, even if these elected officials are affiliated with the ruling party.
But ordinary Zambians hesitate to criticize any institutions associated with the coercive power of the state, such as the police (46%) and the army (39%).
Instead, to the extent that police officers do the bidding of the ruling party, they risk being regarded as partisan agents rather than neutral professionals.
The partisan cast of the remaining political space in Zambia is well illustrated by the contrast in
popular orientations to incumbent and opposition political leaders.
Most Zambians (63%) feel little hesitation in taking issue with the public statements of opposition political leaders LIKE HAKAINDE Hichilema.
But many fewer – barely one in three (36%) – say they feel comfortable offering criticism of orders issued or claims made by President LUNGU.
In other words, freedom to criticise unevenly available in contemporary Zambia, strongly favouring the top leader over his main
Political space in Zambia
To defend democracy, citizens require an open political environment. At minimum, they must be
able to speak their minds about public affairs, including criticizing government if criticism is
warranted.
Yet Zambians express concern that the political space for free expression is closing.
In surveys over the years in Zambia, Afro-barometer has asked, “In this country, how free are you to say what you think?” Between 2012 and 2017, the proportion of citizens saying “completely free” or “somewhat free” has declined sharply, from 81% to 62%.
On a separate question on the same subject, more than seven out of 10 Zambians (72%) now say that they
must “always” or “often” be “careful of what they say about politics,” a proportion that has risen by 10 percentage points over the past five years from 2012-2017
Respondents were asked: Please tell me if there is more or less freedom now for each of the following things
compared to a few years ago, or are things about the same:
Your own freedom to say what you think of the about politics?
In parallel, the 2017 survey also reveals fall-offs in the perceived freedom of the press.
More Zambians think that conditions have recently worsened (41%) than improved (35%) in terms of “the media’s freedom to investigate or report on government mistakes or to criticize government’s actions or performance”.
Perceived restrictions on free expression also spill over into an erosion of associational life.
Slightly more Zambians think that the country has become worse off (39%) rather than better off (35%) in terms of “the freedom of independent groups or non-governmental organizations to speak, hold meetings, or advocate their views.”
Most importantly, the declining quality of elections and the government’s mistreatment of the country’s main opposition leader have seemingly convinced Zambians that the country now has less (46%) rather than more (35%) freedom for the opposition parties to promote alternative views and operate without hindrance.
Respondents were asked: Please tell me if there is more or less freedom now for each of the following things compared to a few years ago, or are things about the same:
- Your own freedom to join any political organization you want?
- The media’s freedom to investigate and report on government mistakes or to criticize government actions or performance?
- The freedom of independent groups or non-governmental organizations to speak, hold meetings,
or advocate their views freely, including criticizing the government if they choose?
- The freedom of opposition parties or candidates to speak or hold rallies, state their views, or criticize
the government?
A shrinking political arena silences some people more than others. In a sign of democratic health, almost two out of three Zambians (65%) say they feel free to criticize civil servants, many of whom are non-partisan professionals.
Majorities even feel free to criticize members of
Parliament and local councillors, even if these elected officials are affiliated with the ruling party.
But ordinary Zambians hesitate to criticize any institutions associated with the coercive power of the state, such as the police (46%) and the army (39%).
Instead, to the extent that police officers do the bidding of the ruling party, they risk being regarded as partisan agents rather than neutral professionals.
The partisan cast of the remaining political space in Zambia is well illustrated by the contrast in
popular orientations to incumbent and opposition political leaders.
Most Zambians (63%) feel little hesitation in taking issue with the public statements of opposition political leaders LIKE HAKAINDE Hichilema.
But many fewer – barely one in three (36%) – say they feel comfortable offering criticism of orders issued or claims made by President LUNGU.
In other words, freedom to criticise unevenly available in contemporary Zambia, strongly favouring the top leader over his main
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