Keypoints:
- Influencer jailed 18 months in Lusaka
- Convicted under new cyber legislation
- Case sparks free-speech debate in Zambia
A ZAMBIAN-AMERICAN social media influencer has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for hate speech after admitting to posting offensive remarks about President Hakainde Hichilema. The case has intensified debate in Zambia over the limits of online expression under new cyber laws.
Influencer arrested on return for funeral
Ethel Chisono Edwards, a 42-year-old estate agent based in New York and widely known online as ‘One Boss Lady’, was arrested three months ago at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka. She had flown in for her grandmother’s funeral, but authorities detained her over social media videos in which she repeatedly insulted the president.
According to BBC reporting, Edwards amassed a significant following over the past two years through her outspoken political commentary, much of it aimed at President Hichilema.
Guilty plea and public apology in court
Edwards pleaded guilty in the Lusaka magistrates’ court to charges under the Cyber Security Act and Cyber Crimes Act — legislation introduced this year. She admitted using a computer system to publish messages motivated by hatred, acknowledging she had no lawful excuse.
Her lawyer, Joseph Katati, urged leniency, describing her as a remorseful first-time offender and a breadwinner who also sponsored a girls’ football team in Zambia. He delivered a formal apology on her behalf, stating: ‘I want to unreservedly apologise to the president, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, his family, and the nation of Zambia for the words that I uttered… and for the negative effects that those words may have caused.’
During her court appearances, Edwards appeared subdued — a stark contrast to her online persona.
Magistrate stresses need to curb hate speech
Magistrate Webster Milumbe said the court had a duty to send a clear warning amid rising levels of hate speech. While acknowledging her lawyer’s mitigation plea, he ruled the 18-month sentence would be effective from the date of her arrest, meaning she has already served several months.
Katati said he had not yet received instructions from Edwards on whether she intends to appeal.
Case exposes free-speech tensions
The sentence has divided opinion across Zambia. Supporters say the ruling underscores the importance of tackling harmful online rhetoric, while critics argue it risks suppressing legitimate political dissent.
President Hichilema abolished criminal defamation against the presidency in 2022, a move welcomed by civil liberties advocates. However, prosecutions continue under other laws, including the new cyber-security framework that has drawn scrutiny from the US government.
Concerns about the extent of state policing of speech resurfaced last year when two men were jailed for two years for attempting to use witchcraft to kill the president.
Digital-era tensions deepen
Edwards’s conviction highlights how Zambia’s digital sphere is becoming a defining arena for political expression and legal enforcement. Her case has fuelled wider discussion about rights, responsibilities and the government’s approach to regulating online speech.
As the country grapples with these shifting boundaries, the jailing of a high-profile influencer has become a flashpoint in Zambia’s ongoing debate over democracy, accountability and digital freedoms.
