In what has become characteristic of repressive regimes, the government of Congo Brazzavile has switched off that country’s internet under the guise of stopping false news as the country voted on Sunday.
The election contested by Dennis Sassou Nguesso who has ruled for 36 years and main opposition leader Guy Kolelas who is admitted to hospital with Covid-19.
The shutting down of the internet has blacked out all major online news sites and only left the state controlled broadcaster to rule the airwaves with regime propaganda.
Governments in Tanzania, Uganda, Mynamar, Egypt and other countries have in the past shut down the internet during elections so to control the narrative in favour of the ruling party.
Zambia has passed a cyber-security bill similar to the one used in these countries raising fears that the August 12, 2021 polls may be held under the faint candle light of ZNBC to the exclusion of online media.
©Kalemba March 22, 2021
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