Blogger Chishimba jailed nine months for circulating pregnancy claim about presidential aide

Blogger Joseph Chishimba has been sentenced to nine months imprisonment with hard labour for circulating an unverified allegation that Special Assistant to the President for Public Policy, Chipokota Mwanawasa, was pregnant for a “guy at State House”.

Principal Resident Magistrate Idah Phiri sentenced the 47-year-old Chishimba after convicting him of publishing information contrary to Section 54 of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act No. 2 of 2021.

The court found that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Chishimba was responsible for circulating the material in a WhatsApp group known as “Zambia Politics”.

The court heard that between October 9 and 14, 2024, in Lusaka, Chishimba used a mobile phone to post a screenshot from a Facebook page accompanied by a caption alleging that Mwanawasa was pregnant for a “guy at State House”.

In sentencing Chishimba, Magistrate Phiri said the offence went beyond the individuals named in the publication, warning that involving the Presidency in unverified claims could undermine public confidence and bring the highest office in the country into disrepute.