Given Lubinda told parliament said that the end of the emergency laws was not an excuse to break the law. "The declaration will duly expire at midnight tonight. I wish to state however that the expiration should not be misconstrued as an invitation to break the law, as other laws stay in place," he said.

Mr Lungu had assumed emergency powers on 5 July to respond to what he called "acts of sabotage" by his political opponents. Under state of emergency laws, police can prohibit public meetings, detain suspects longer than usual, search without a warrant, close roads, impose curfews and restrict movements.

A long drawn-out political crisis was averted when opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema was freed after 100 days in jail. Mr Hichilema had been accused of endangering the president's life after a motorcade he was travelling in refused to give way to the presidential motorcade.