The Ministry of Justice has acknowledged that the Public Order Act in its current form is inadequate and requires to be amended to ensure that power is given to citizens to exercise their rights as enshrined in the republican constitution.
Speaking during a stakeholder’s engagement meeting on Public Order Management and Legal Framework agenda in Lusaka today, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice Mwenya Bwalya says without free public discussion on social, economic and political issues as well as public education and enlightenment which are essential to proper functioning and execution of government, it is impossible to foster the strengthening of the rule of law.
Ms Bwalya said in an effort to uphold the rule of law, protect human rights and to ensure that public order is managed, the public order act will be reviewed.
She has since assured the new dawn administration’s commitment to give independence to the police in the enforcement of the act and to put in place mechanisms that will allow for the reform in the manner in which regulation of public assemblies and processions are managed.
And Governance, Elections Advocacy and Research Services -GEARS- Initiative, the organizers of the workshop through its Executive Director MacDonald Chipenzi hopes government will not remain silent on repealing this act as it needs serious attention.
Meanwhile, Civil Society Organizations Access to Information Coalition says it does not expect any further delay from government to enact the access to information bill into law.
The Coalition says government should do everything possible not to divert from its pledge of enacting the ATI law especially that it is among the reasons that Zambians entrusted them with power.
Coalition Chairperson Reverent Father Alex Muyebe says it expects the ATI law to be enacted into law by June this year failure to which it will mobilize and galvanize the masses to join in demanding government to deliver on its election promise campaign to enact the ATI law as a key tool in fighting corruption.
Fr. Muyebe told a media briefing in Lusaka this morning that the coalition will also sustain a robust advocacy to see the legislation of the ATI law in Zambia as it is demanded by the Zambian people in an event that the bill is not enacted into law.
And MISA Zambia National Director Austin Kayanda says civil society organizations in the coalition are hopeful that the bill will be enacted now that it is on the calls list at parliament.