GOVERNMENT REFINES PUBLIC ORDER ACT
Government has disclosed that the Public Order Act is in the process of review and will soon be brought to parliament for debate.
Information and Media Minister, Cornelius Mweetwa, says the government is aware that the country is eagerly waiting for the Public Order Act to be brought to parliament following its proposed repeal and replacement by the Zambia Law Development Commission earlier this year.
Mr Mweetwa speaking in an interview said that there are few clauses that needed to be refined through further consultations from stakeholders to ensure that the draft copy submitted to parliament does not raise a lot of debate.
He said the government wants to ensure that once the draft copy is submitted to parliament, it should be able to go through with speed and efficiency in line with President Hakainde Hichilema’s directive that parliamentary business should be done as quickly as possible.
On January 16, 2023, the Zambia Law Development Commission handed over the proposed repeal and replacement of the Public Order Act as well as the proposed draft of the Public Gatherings Act to the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Home Affairs for further scrutiny.
The Public Order Act has been cited in the past as giving much freedom to the police, thereby suppressing the enjoyment of the fundamental rights of freedom of Association and Assembly.
CREDIT: ZANIS