A viral document claiming that State House directed ZICTA to shut down internet access during the 2026 elections is fake. State House has confirmed that it never issued such a directive, and iVerify Zambia’s analysis found multiple signs that the purported letter was fabricated.
Claim
On 27 July 2026, a Facebook page called Toonse Alliance published what it claimed was a confidential letter allegedly authored and signed by Christopher L. Mundia, Special Assistant to the President for Legal Affairs.
The purported letter claims that State House directed the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) to disrupt internet services daily between 19:00 and 24:00 hours throughout the election period, completely shut down internet access on polling day and after the announcement of election results, and identify and facilitate the arrest of individuals posting negative comments about President Hakainde Hichilema on social media.
To avoid amplifying misinformation, iVerify Zambia has deliberately not included a direct link to the misleading post.
Verdict: False
Why We Rated This False
iVerify Zambia verified the authenticity of the purported letter with the State House Chief Communications Strategist, Whitney Mulobela. Mr. Mulobela categorically dismissed the document as fake, stating that State House did not issue any directive to ZICTA to shut down or restrict internet access during the election period. He further confirmed that Christopher L. Mundia neither authored nor signed the alleged letter, adding that the document circulating on social media is not an official State House communication.
According to Mr. Mulobela, the letter was fabricated and is intended to mislead the public by creating the false impression that the Government plans to impose an internet shutdown during the elections.
In addition to the official clarification, iVerify Zambia conducted a digital and content analysis of the document and identified several indicators that it is inauthentic:
- Recycled disinformation: The claim closely resembles an earlier false narrative that alleged the Government intended to shut down the internet ahead of the 2026 General Election. That earlier claim falsely attributed the announcement to Ministry of Information and Media Permanent Secretary Thabo Kawana and was previously debunked by iVerify Zambia.
- No official record: A review of official State House communication channels, ZICTA platforms, and credible news outlets found no announcement or directive corresponding to the alleged letter.
- Poor drafting: The document contains grammatical errors, awkward sentence construction, informal language, and politically charged expressions that are inconsistent with official Government correspondence.
- Missing official features: The purported letter lacks several standard elements found on genuine State House correspondence, including the correct letterhead format, official address, and contact details.
- No corroborating evidence: There is no independent evidence to support the extraordinary claims that State House ordered internet disruptions or instructed authorities to monitor and arrest citizens for expressing opinions online.
Conclusion
The claim that State House directed ZICTA to disrupt internet services during the election period and impose a nationwide internet shutdown on polling day is false.
State House has confirmed that no such directive was issued and that the circulating document is fabricated. iVerify Zambia’s independent analysis also found multiple indicators that the letter is not authentic.
False claims concerning internet shutdowns are particularly harmful during elections because they can undermine public confidence, create unnecessary panic, and erode trust in electoral processes and public institutions. Such misinformation may also discourage citizens from relying on digital platforms to access credible election information and exercise their democratic rights.
Members of the public are encouraged to verify election-related information through official Government communication channels, ZICTA, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), and other credible news and fact-checking organisations before sharing it.
Help Stop the Spread of Misinformation
Before sharing election-related content, verify whether it comes from credible and official sources. If you encounter suspicious claims, images, or videos, submit them to iVerify Zambia for verification.
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📧 Email: factcheck@panos.org.zm
