UPND Dismay Over Possibility Of Internet Blackout On August 12

United Party for National Development (UPND) Secretary General Batuke Imenda has outlined his dismay at the possibility of an internet blackout during the August 12 general elections, following comments made by MTN and Airtel on the matter.

Speaking during an interview, Mr Imenda iterated the importance of maintaining internet connectivity during the election period.

“We are disappointed that MTN and Airtel, as Zambia’s two biggest telecommunications providers, will not guarantee to protect internet access ahead of the general elections on 12 August…Combined access to data and internet connectivity is an essential requirement for a free, fair and credible election,” he said.

The UPND Secretary General outlined his dismay as a result of a “distinct possibility that the government will instruct Zambia’s telecommunications companies to shut down the internet in an attempt to subvert the democratic will of the people.”

If a decision is made by the government to shut down the internet during the August 12 general elections, it would violate Article 20 of the Constitution of Zambia which protects the freedom of expression of Zambian citizens. Mr Imenda subsequently says the decision would be “dictatorial and a serious indictment on freedom of expression.”

MTN said that restricting access to the internet would be a “last resort” but that they would not rule it out completely and, if ordered by the government to shut down its services, it would consider the order in light of its digital human rights policy.

Concerns outlined follow MTN and Airtel’s compliance with internet shutdowns over the last few years, turning off the internet in more than 10 African countries in the last year alone. MTN are currently in court for cutting service to eSwatini in the wake of pro-democracy protests. Similarly, Airtel shut down the internet during Tanzania’s October 2020 elections.

Subsequently, echoing our recent open letter to MTN and Airtel, the UPND have called upon the telecommunications corporations to “take a clear stance in support of human rights and democracy by declaring their opposition to any instruction to throttle or shut down the internet in an attempt to subset the democratic will of the people.”

As mentioned by Mr Imenda, internet within the country is vital in providing the infrastructure that ensures the elections themselves can be kept free and fair. Internet access will be imperative for election monitors to conduct parallel vote tabulation (PVT) and other independent verification exercises alongside reporting instances of political violence.

Photo: UPND Twitter