Zambia has been ranked 121st globally in fundamental rights and 25th out of 34 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa in the 2026 World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index, which points to a continued decline in adherence to the rule of law.
The Index ranks Zambia 111th globally in open government, 109th in absence of corruption and 119th in regulatory enforcement. The country is placed 16th out of 35 lower-middle-income countries globally.
According to the report, the global rule of law recession continued in 2026, with adherence to the rule of law declining in 68 percent of countries surveyed, driven primarily by the expansion of authoritarian trends.
The report identifies the expansion of authoritarian trends as the primary force behind the rule of law recession, with significant declines in factors measuring constraints on government powers, open government and fundamental rights.
“An expansion of authoritarian trends is the primary force behind the rule of law recession, with deep declines in factors measuring Constraints on Government Powers, Open Government, and Fundamental Rights,” the report stated.
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The World Justice Project noted that the integrity of checks and balances had been seriously weakened, including in Zambia, where judicial constraints on government power had declined.
“The integrity of checks and balances has also been seriously weakened, including in Zambia,” the report said.
It said a defining feature of the accelerated rule of law recession was shrinking civic space, with freedoms crucial for public discourse and government oversight experiencing widespread erosion.
“Freedom of opinion and expression declined in 73% of countries, including Zambia. The freedom of assembly and association declined in over 70 percent of countries,” the report said.
The Index further indicates that Zambia was among countries that had experienced a sustained five-year decline in at least one of the three fundamental safeguards against authoritarian rule, amid global concerns over weakening judicial independence and civic freedoms.
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