By 
Leader of the Movement for Good Governance, Binwell Mpundu has criticized the government for planning to enact a law that threatens and undermines the privacy, dignity, and constitutional freedoms of citizens.
The Nkana Member of Parliament raised serious concerns about the Closed-Circuit Television Public Protection Bill(CCTV bill) which is currently before Parliament despite its perceived intentions to enhance public safety.
Mpundu told Zambia Monitor that in reality, the legislation risked opening the door to unchecked surveillance and excessive state intrusion into the lives of Zambian citizens.
He stated that the Bill granted sweeping powers to government agencies to install, monitor, and access CCTV footage across Zambia, with little to no independent oversight.
“It allows warrantless searches, arbitrary seizures, and the collection of personal data without your consent or knowledge,” Mpundu claimed.
He alleged that the Minister was under the proposed law empowered to exempt anyone from the law’s provisions and even authorize surveillance in restrooms or changing rooms—places where privacy should be absolute.
“Is this the Zambia we want? Let me be clear: security must never come at the expense of liberty. This Bill does not just tip the scales—it shatters them,” he wondered.
Mpundu stated that the proposed law undermines the very fabric of democracy by making every citizen a potential suspect, every private moment a potential government file and that this was in contrast with established democracies.
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He cited the United Kingdom and across the European Union, where CCTV use is tightly regulated under laws like the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
“There, surveillance is only permitted for specific, justified purposes, and always with robust safeguards: Judicial oversight is required, not just a bureaucrat’s signature,” Mpundu said.
He stated that surveillance without accountability was tyranny and that was what the UPND government had now become, a complete dictatorship, a government that continues to enact laws that oppreses and infringes the rights of citizens.
“Clear signage must inform the public when they are being recorded. Citizens have the right to access, correct, or demand deletion of their footage. Enforcement is by independent authorities, not the same agencies doing the watching,” Mpundu said.
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