A social media claim that the Zambian Government has banned church meetings, overnight prayers and other public gatherings until 1 November 2026 is false. Government has confirmed that no such directive was issued by Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa or any other government official.
Claim
On 6 October 2026, a Facebook page called Ecl Tv Zambia published a claim alleging that Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa had announced that the Government had banned church meetings and overnight services until the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security issued a directive on 1 November 2026. The post further claimed that this was evidence that the UPND Government was at war with the church and the people of Zambia.
Verdict: False
Rating Justification
iVerify Zambia has verified the claim and found it to be false.
The claim is directly contradicted by an official Government statement issued on 6 October 2026 by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Media, Thabo Kawana.
Government stated that no directive had been issued by Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa or by Government to suspend church meetings, overnight prayers, crusades or other public gatherings until 1 November 2026. Government described the information circulating on social media as false and said it did not represent a Government decision or directive.
Government further stated that it remains committed to upholding the Constitution and laws of Zambia, including rights and freedoms relating to freedom of conscience, religion or belief and peaceful assembly. It urged members of the public and the media to verify information purporting to originate from Government institutions or public officials before sharing or acting upon it.
iVerify Zambia also found no credible evidence supporting the alleged ban or demonstrating that Patrick Kangwa issued such a directive.
The claim is also inconsistent with the constitutional protection of freedom of conscience. Article 19(1) of the Constitution protects freedom of conscience, including freedom of thought and religion, and the freedom to manifest and propagate one’s religion or belief, individually or in community with others, in public or private, through worship, teaching, practice and observance. Article 19(5) recognises that restrictions may be permitted in specific circumstances, including matters of public safety, public order, public health or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others, provided the relevant legal requirements are met.
However, there is no evidence that any such restriction relating to church meetings or overnight services was introduced on 6 October 2026.
Conclusion
The claim that the Zambian Government banned church meetings, overnight prayers and other public gatherings until 1 November 2026 is false.Government expressly denied that Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa or any government official had issued such a directive. The Ministry of Information and Media confirmed that the claim circulating on social media did not represent a Government decision or directive. The assertion that the alleged ban showed that the UPND Government was “at war with the church and the people of Zambia” is therefore unsupported.
Given the sensitivity of religious freedom, such false claims can create unnecessary fear, tension and mistrust. The public should verify purported Government directives through official and credible sources before sharing them.
Evidence
- Government statement – 6 October 2026: The Government, through Permanent Secretary Thabo Kawana of the Ministry of Information and Media, stated that no directive had been issued by Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa or Government suspending church meetings, overnight prayers, crusades or other public gatherings.
- Independent reporting – 7 October 2026: Independent reporting on 7 October 2026 also confirmed that Government had dismissed the alleged church ban as false and reiterated that no such directive had been issued.
- Constitution of Zambia – Article 19: Article 19 protects freedom of conscience, including freedom of thought and religion and the right to manifest and propagate one’s religion or belief through worship, teaching, practice and observance.
Help Stop the Spread of Misinformation
Before sharing election-related or public affairs information, verify whether it comes from credible and official sources. If you encounter suspicious claims, images or videos, submit them to iVerify Zambia for verification.
Email: factcheck@panos.org.zm
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Together, we can reduce the spread of misinformation and disinformation, promote access to accurate and verified information, and help protect the integrity of public discourse.
