POLICE NEW MANAGEMENT OF UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLIES CALLED “SOLIDARITY ASSEMBLIES” AND EXPRESSION FOR THOSE. ACCUSED OF VARIOUS CRIMES AGAINST THE STATE
Kudos to the POLICE, the IG, state and Political establishment for showing the political will to respect people’s freedom of expression, association and assembly in the new government.
Yesterday’s so called Solidarity Assemblies for the former first lady, Esther Lungu summoned to account for the acquisition of 15 flats by Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) would have ended up in bloodstreams, suffocation and brute dispersal 11months ago due to police reactionary brutal acts
The coolness of the police, esp the man put to be in charge for policing the event, Mr Matteo, at DEC amidst show offs and unruliness from PF lawyers, sympathisers and cadres, was exceptional and needs commendation.
The Public Order Act was managed properly despite the breach of its provisions by the organisers.
It was policed in respect to citizens’ freedoms of assembly, association and Expression regardless of the organisers’ political affiliations.
The organisers came from a party whose political History, actions, conduct, reaction and behaviour when in power towards other political parties’ solidarity matches and assemblies was met with excessive force and brutality.
Yesterady’s unlawful assemblies saw *no force used but instead the suspected ruling party sympathisers who stoned a vehicle for the procession was arrested, no excessive teargasses fired, no bloodstream, bath or shed or death witnessed despite intentional provocation from those who organised this “unlawful” solidarity assembly.
This was Unlawful assembly because it is not said whether the assembliers or organisers did inform or notify the police 7 Days to the event as required by law.
Zambia is moving towards its desired independence destination-that of reaslisng its citizens’ freedom of expression, association and Assembly.
Bravo to all the police men and women at the scene who endured unpalatable language, insults, derogatories, intimidation, harrassment, etc from the organisers and their people.
Special tribe goes to Lusaka police command boss, James Masiye, IG Lemmy Kajobo and his Command, Minister of Home Affairs and his team and President HH and his team for adopting a tolerant political standing that respects people’s freedoms of assembly, association and Expression.
Though other quarters feel the police acted sheepishly and exaggerated their tolerance on the organisers, instead of being harsh, which acts potentially could lead to police lose grip of such processions in future, the condemnation and fears must not be unjustified in democratic state emerging from an era of restricted freedoms and rights 11 months ago.
Those unfounded fears were the very reason used as grounds to deny citizens their rights to assemble by the previous regime not too long ago.
This is what had led to Zambia being classified as a country with restricted freedoms and rights degenerating into dictatorship, autocratic regime.
We must move away from such and ensure we up the need for more civic education on the provisions of the law esp dealing with people who used to live in Lawless environment.
Further we up the game for the repeal and replacement of the public order Act so that this discretionary powers so far seen are backed by law.
Once again Kudos to the Police. The event ended peacefuly. Viva freedoms.
Change may be resisted but always unstoppable.MIGHTY is not always RIGHT but RIGHT is ALWAYS MIGHTY
I submit
McDonald Chipenzi