MISA Zambia has launched the Freedom of Expression (FOX) Report for January-June 2025.
The FOX Report is an initiative of MISA Zambia that has been produced annually since 2022.
Speaking at the launch event, Ministry of Information and Media Permanent Secretary, Thabo Kawana, dismissed the findings of the report stating that the report does not reflect the actual reality but a perception.
Mr. Kawana said the government is working tirelessly to ensuring that media freedoms, freedom of expression and digital rights are enjoyed by every citizen without fear, intimidation or harassment.
“Government remains committed to promoting a safe environment for journalists, civil society, and political actors by upholding media freedom, freedom of expression, and digital rights both legally and practically,” said Mr. Kawana.
He added that his government will prioritise the implementation of the Access to Information (ATI) Law now that the Statutory Instruments (SI) have been signed, pending the finalisation of the implementation guidelines.
And speaking at the same event, MISA Zambia Chairperson, Lorraine Mwanza-Chisanga, urged the government to expedite the process of implementing the Access to information Law as it will play a major role in ensuring that the citizens are well-informed on matters of national interest.
“When Citizens have access to government data, they can better understand the policies, monitor public spending, and advocate for change in their communities,” she said.
She further called on all stakeholders to join forces in advocating for an environment that not only protects and respects the fundamental rights of the media, but also that which acknowledges freedom of expression and digital rights as indispensable elements of democracy.
And MISA Zambia National Director, Austin Kayanda, said the organisation will continue to work hand in hand with other stakeholders in ensuring that the country’s media landscape remains free, independent, and conducive to the promotion of good governance and sustainable development.
The report serves as a key accountability and advocacy tool that assesses the state of freedom of expression, media freedom, access to information and digital rights enjoyment in Zambia.
It is based on stakeholder perception and situation analysis, providing an evidence-based understanding of the enabling or restrictive environment within which these rights operate.
Perceptions are drawn from the Journalists, Civil Society Organisations, Human Rights Defenders, Bloggers and Political actors on the state of the media, freedom of expression, and digital rights in Zambia.
The 2025 report revealed that, perceptions of media freedom have declined in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous year. Only 15% of respondents believe the media is free, while 68% describe it as partially free and 17% believe it is not free at all.
The report also indicates that harassment and threats against media practitioners have slightly increased, with 3% more respondents reporting such experiences compared to the previous period.
On Access to Information the findings revealed that, 83% of journalists perceived that it is not easy to access government officials while 17% expressed opposing opinions, representing a 1% increase compared to the previous year.
The report also revealed a positive trend, with a 17.7% increase in the use of Blogging for informative and educational purposes.
