Some users in Zambia have informed the public via Twitter that WhatsApp is currently restricted during the country’s general elections. The presidential and parliamentary elections ended in clashes between incumbent President Edgar Lungu and Hakainde Hichilem, from the opposition party.
Internet Control Service Netblocks added that many ISPs in Zambia are restricting access to US social media platforms. Some of these networks include State of Zambia, Zamtel (which belongs to the Government of Zambia), Airtel Zambia, Liquid Telecom, and MTN.
Up until this week, there were reports that the Zambian government had threatened to turn off the Internet if cyberspace is not properly used in the elections this year. The government is reported to be implementing the plan from Thursday, election day, until Sunday, when the vote count is expected to close.
However, the Zambian government, through Amos Malupenga, Permanent Secretary Of Information And Broadcasting, denies the report as “Malicious.” However, the government said it would not tolerate misuse of the Internet and expressed no concern that appropriate action would be taken in the event of a failure.
The Permanent Secretary said, “The government, therefore, expects citizens to use the internet responsibly. But if some people choose to abuse the internet to mislead and misinform, the government will not hesitate to invoke relevant legal provisions to forestall any breakdown of law and order as the country passes through the election period.”
Internet users in Zambia are already using VPNs to bypass restrictions on WhatsApp and other social networks. It remains to be seen whether the government will introduce a complete internet shutdown.
Zambia is not the first African country to experience this in elections, as social media restrictions and Internet lockouts have become recurring problems in most African countries.
Countries such as Cameroon, Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Guinea, Togo, Benin, Mali and Mauritania restrict social media and internet shutdown during elections. Some countries, such as Chad, Nigeria and Ethiopia, have similar restrictions on independence-related activities.
Most governments claim these restrictions from social media and the Internet are to ensure security during elections. However, this process clearly manifests itself as a means of limiting the dissemination of important information between voters and the national and international media.
