RE: NOTIFICATION OF INTENDED PROCESSION AGAINST BILL NO. 7 OF 2025 – ADVISORY UNDER THE PUBLIC ORDER ACT (CAP 113)
We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 10th November 2025, addressed to the Inspector General of Police and copied to the Lusaka Province Police Commanding Officer, notifying the Zambia Police Service of your intention to conduct a procession/march past in opposition to Bill No. 7 of 2025 and the Technical Committee appointed to review the Constitution of Zambia.
While the Zambia Police Service fully recognises and respects the constitutional rights of citizens and organisations to freedom of expression and assembly as provided under Articles 20 and 21 of the Constitution of Zambia, we are constrained to bring the following to your urgent attention:
1. There is an ongoing Consultative Process by the Technical Committee in respect of the proposed Constitution amendments in furtherance of a judgment of the Constitutional Court in the case of Munir Zulu and another.
2. The OASIS Forum has commenced a fresh action in the Constitutional Court and is awaiting a Ruling in respect of a conservatory order that was applied to halt the works of the Technical committee, and the Ruling is scheduled to take place on 25th November 2025.
3. That Republican President has invited all persons aggrieved by ongoing consultative process for the amendment of the Constitution for a dialogue at State House.
4. We have picked up intelligence of unscrupulous individuals who are planning on using the proposed demonstration to bring anarchy and disorder during the procession which threaten the peace
Arising from the above, we respectfully urge the Oasis Forum and all concerned stakeholders to reconsider and withhold the planned procession out of respect for the judicial process and the underlying security concerns to avoid any actions that may potentially endanger public safety.
We remain committed to facilitating the lawful exercise of constitutional rights and are available for further dialogue should you wish to explore alternative ways of expressing your concerns within the confines of the law.
Yours faithfully,
A. SIWITO
OFFICER-IN-CHARGE/ REGULATING OFFICER
The police agreed with the oasis forum, the president refused to agree (samia Sihulu Mentality) and now the police have come up with what aligns with the president. Is the police independent? The inspector general of police should know that this is his show, and his correct assessment of the situation will win him Kudos, by allowing the protest and policing it correctly he would have settled the matter amicably, these people have given the route from freedom statue to state house, not community house, but state house, and this route can easily be policed, after their protest they shall hand over a listing of their grievances and disperse, is there anything wrong with that?. it will however not favor the state to bottle up the grievances within individuals because such bottled up grievances do finally come out in ways that may not be favorable and that is a fact which does not need rocket science. if you allow an individual to release his or her grievance, that person feels relief, but if a lid is put on that person’s grievance, that grievance will not go away but will grow within until it finds an exit. My free advice is that the protest should be allowed to go ahead and that chapter will be closed. One person cannot always have it his or her way, that is not good in political leadership, it ia called dictatorship.
This is very disappointing from UPND govt. This is part of same behavior PF govt demonstrated that got them voted off. UPND is a very weak and very insecure party in govt. The position of strength they exhibit in most areas of their governance gets eroded by stupid little things like this .i.e failing to give democratic space for dissenting voices. THE POLICE ARE THERE TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC from anyone who trys to infringe anyone’s right to freely express themselves and not the other way round. What is the police there for if they cannot plan to defend the protesters?? Why are the protesters rights being sacrificed at the expense of so called would be disruptors?? This behavior of UPND govt is very concerning and highly nonsensical. I personally am in favor of UPND govt BUT I also respect the voices of those that are not in favor of this govt as such I will fight for their voices to be heard too. Zambia police, please do the right thing. Don’t play politics. Protect those who need to be protected and arrest those that need to be arrested when they break the law. Zambia is not a one party state, different views will always be there and they equally need to be protected at all cost.
You have been cautioned. If the advice given by the police is ignored, any consequences that follow will rest squarely on the shoulders of the Oasis leaders. The police have clearly outlined the reasons Friday’s protest should not proceed. Should you choose to defy that guidance, you do so at your own peril.
Zambia – 1
Kiliminoz – 0
Isn’t it the job of the same police to make sure they are safe? That’s like a bank telling you dont deposit your money here it is not safe!
Criminals trying to cause anarchy so that if anything goes wrong the blame HH.They want to put on UPND regalia to cause anarchy. Careful of these bakabwalala supported by few evil Bishops putting people `s kids online