GOVT URGED TO ENSURE MEANINGFUL CHANGES TO PUBLIC GATHERINGS BILL WHEN RE-INTRODUCED IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
By Nelson Zulu
Lawyer Sakwiba Sikota has urged government to ensure that the recently rejected Public Gatherings Bill reflects meaningful changes when it is re-introduced in the National Assembly.
Mr. Sikota says the bill must not follow the path of previous controversial legislation, citing the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act No. 13 of 2021 and Act No. 13 of 2026, in which proposals that initially faced resistance were later returned with provisions that remained contentious and enacted into law.
He noted that President Hakainde Hichilema’s decision not to sign the bill into law should not be viewed as a final resolution, arguing that concerns remain over the possibility of disputed clauses being reintroduced during the legislative process.
In an interview with Phoenix News, Mr. Sikota also questioned how the bill advanced through several stages of scrutiny, including cabinet approval, before government later acknowledged concerns over its contents.
Meanwhile, Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes -SACCORD- Acting Executive Director Arthur Muyunda has expressed disappointment that the Public Gatherings Bill will not be in place ahead of this year’s elections, despite extensive consultation and similar concerns having been raised at earlier stages.
PHOENIX NEWS