The law on defamation certainly leads to difficult questions concerning the extent to which the Constitutional right to freedom of expression ought to be balanced against the protection of the reputation of others. It is a given that defamation is a crime under the laws of Zambia and is provided for in the Penal Code. This means defamation is dealt with not only under private law but also under Public Law. But as judge Patrick Matibini once said, a mere insult cannot, in itself, amount to defamation. It is important that those who run government do not abuse this law to fight political battles. An individual who decides to seek government office must accept certain necessary consequences of their involvement...