cadres at Luangwa House in Chipata on Thursday. The meeting was aimed
at ironing out wrangles that have rocked the party in Eastern
Province.
Police in Eastern Province has maintained that it will not take action against any government minister who holds meetings in constituencies where there are pending by-elections because the Public Order Act does not oblige any government minister to notify the police whenever he or she wants to hold a meeting.
Responding to concerns by some political parties that the police had allowed PF Secretary General, Wynter Kabimba, who is also Justice Minister, to hold meetings in Petauke Central and Vubwi Constituencies where there are pending by elections while other political leaders were not permitted to do so, police deputy commissioner, Hudson Namachila, said the act does not restrict Government ministers to hold meetings in any place in the country.
Speaking to journalists in Chipata this morning, Mr Namachila noted that though Mr Kambimba was in the province to hold meetings with party members, police could not stop him from doing so because he is a serving minister who is not obliged to notify the police on his meetings unlike other political players.
He said those criticizing the police on the way that it implements the Public Order Act should take time to read it and understand its contents before criticizing the police on how it implements the Act.
And commenting on Mr Kabimba’s directive to the police to arrest PF cadres who engage in violence, Mr Namachila said the directive was made in line with the law and the police will take action on anyone involved in violence regardless of their political affiliation.
He stated that the police will ensure that anyone who comes into conflict with the law is brought to book.
Yesterday, PF Secretary General, Wynter Kambimba, directed police to arrest party cadres involved in violent activities.
Mr Kabimba made the directive when he addressed PF members at Luangwa Lodge in Chipata district.
IN A FIGHT SOMEONE’S HANDS ARE BOUND THE OTHER ONE IS FREE. THE ONE WHO IS FREE IS BEATEN .
Ka Winter nakasamwa!
And the Police say they are professional in the discharge of their duty. What kind of thinking is this? The Law is and should not be intended to serve the elite (political or otherwise) alone. The Public Order Act does not mention ministers, but neither does it mention opposition political parties. In fact the Act “is intended to ensure that the police are aware of any gathering” in order to maintain peace. Therefore the Act does not need to mention Govt ministers but “Anyone intending to” should inform the Police. That “informing” is not to seek permission nor your approval (as you have wrongly, yet conveniently interpreted it) but to make you aware just in case social order is required.
rubbish staff from kokoshi. say something sensible you 1diot of a police man. there is no law that says a minister should campaign in areas where there are pending bye elections before ECZ authorizes. sata was snubbed for that what more a nominated minister
The current enforcement of the POA does not scare me compared to what UNIP enforced.
PF are kidding themselves. If hardcore dictators have fallen and buried in unmarked graves like dogs, what more these PF minions.
We in UPND are waiting for 2016 to start total defiance. We shall see what the kanyangus will do.
Do these PF minions know that a bad law is not worth respecting. We shall dismantle the POA no matter what and lock up all PF minions together with their top police officers who enforce it.
Just explains how daft our police are and we expect them to preserve law and order! The affected barred stakeholders should take this issue to court and seek further clarification on the police interpretation!
Kicks of a dying horse. PF you are going down in history as one of the worst administration to ever exist. Infact just to clean our records, we’ll erase all your works and deeds from ever existing in Zambia history, we wont even preach MCS name in Schools, we’ll ignore him and so will we for Kabimba. Sure PO only for Ministers? you are jokers.
China is observing.
PF can never be hijacked by winter who cant even speak bemba like me. Membe .masebo. Guy scot. Lubinda (A-TEAM) all these forigners are just wasting their time. At least edger lungu stands a better chance.
Can we also get the interpretation of the PoA from LAZ…
the good thing l thank God for is that each one of us has our own eye to see, and mind to think and analyse, then make a decision. we all know why kabimba is been pursued and harassed, the man is fit for the chair, God bless him,
BUT IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, THE PF IS GIVEN UNDUE ADVANTAGE OVER THE OPPOSITION. THE BEHAVIOUR OF ALL POLITICAL PLAYERS MUST BE DISCUSSED AND AGREED UPON BY ALL POLITICAL PLAYERS ON A ROUND TABLE MEETING. IT MAKES MY HEART BLEED TO LEARN THAT OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTY LEADERS ARE ESCORTED OUT OF TOWNS BY THE POLICE WHENEVER THEY WANT TO ADRESS THEIR SUPPORTERS. BUT THE KABIMBAs AND KAMBWILIs ARE LEFT FREE TO ROAM THE WHOLE COUNTRY-SIDE. WHERE THEN IS FAIRNESS. PF PLEASE WORK ON THIS TO AVOID SOME OF THESE AVOIDABLE COMPLAINTS.
When sata went to campaign in one area in Ep schedule for by election,the ECZ said it was against the electoral code of conduct and advised the Head of state .so this policeman thinks winter is above sata for him to campaign.A serving minister can only conduct projects in by election pending areas and not political activities.The current crop of people holding key positions in government agencies or wings leaves me wonder if at all as Zambians we are serious about the destiny of country.when a political party in power employes too many cadres ,just know the country is doomed.
There is a new meaning of “law and order” in this country. This is frightening.
The whole episode is really laughable. Who does this kapokola think he is to begin educating us on the provisions of the public order act? Doesn’t he know that even members of other political parties are not obliged to get permission from anyone? Time is ticking..tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
Exemptions
8. (1) The Minister may in his discretion exempt by order in writing any religious organisation from all or any of the provisions of sections five, seven and nine.
(2) Any exemption given under the provisions of subsection (1) may be applied by the Minister either to the religious organisation generally in Zambia or to individual branches of such religious organisation operating within Zambia.
(3) Any exemption given under the provisions of this section may be made subject to such conditions as the Minister may impose and may at any time be varied or revoked by the Minister by order in writing.
(No. 10 of 1959 as amended by G.N. No. 230 of 1964, S.I. No. 66 of 1965 and No. 10 of 1967)
This is why any Sensible Zambian will cry out for a new constitution.
The current archaic Constitution we have is just a licence for a current ruling party to R*pe Citizens human rights, & Pillage government coffers!
Any wonder why these P.F, dictators are loving it??
To me the problem is very simple. This is a constitutional issue and should be taken to the Supreme Court to interpret.
The Saint you are very dull. Which supreme court are you talking about? We have no supreme court in Zambia. There is only a cartel court under the figure head of a nauseating woman called Chibesakunda but operated by one Fred Meembe and thugs.
the POA has been in existence for a longtime and today the Police are telling us thats what is contained. i will not claim to have read it and will give them a benefit of doubt. however, this doesnt mean the actions of the police both during the MMD and now PF is commendable. surely they have used the POA to the advantage of the ruling party. i dont think this is good and thats why we are demanding for a constitution for the people by the people so that people enjoy their fundamental rights of association and assembly irrespective of whether they are ministers or not. surely the only time i can be free to hold a meeting in this country is when i am a minister is ridiculous to say the least. we need to change these archaic laws.
Electing the next president under the current constitution does not give much hope. It gives too much power to the president who finds it useful to pull strings effectively making him some kind of demigod. Kafupi discovered this and thought enacting a new constitution that would take away some of his powers was no longer attractive. Power would only continue to be sweet if he had all the trappings that came with the constitution in it’s current archaic state. People must really fight to have a new constitution before next elections otherwise all the evils we have suffered at the hands of brutal dictators will continue.
How did the P F campaingn during the MMD era if this POA has been in place all along, chawamina mbuzi kuluma galu
Well said officer. Just read your statement again. And then check if the Minister is addressing those meetings inhis capacity as a minister or in his capacity as a party leader. This will give you guidance on your course of action
You are asking hungry uneducated high ranking tug in uniform to understand law?
No buchende bwana mwachilamo,tu recruit tonse mwapwa,your wife you chased is languishing here in mikomfwa.
president Wynter Kabimba in eastern province
He is a minister, is he talking about matters concerning his ministry or talking about issues of his party? Is he addressing the nation or addressing those blind party cadres?
The learned Deputy Police Commissioner said and I quote; Speaking to journalists in Chipata this morning, Mr Namachila noted that though Mr Kambimba was in the province to hold meetings with party members, police could not stop him from doing so because he is a serving minister who is not obliged to notify the police on his meetings unlike other political players.
He is lucky because he is a deputy I wished he was a provincial commissioner. God bless Zambia.
Read POA s.8 (exemptions) @ #10
We have very dull policemen and women who do not understand not the constitution and not the law…… so we are in sh*t as a country. In the last two years of P F rule we have leaped 20 steps backwards on index of human development. Efyo mwalefwaya mwebena Zambia. Ine ndeloleshafye.
i feel pity for some of the law enforcers we have under pf and their party officials when their party comes out of govt which will happen no matter what. prisons will be full of these *****s cos even unip never misinterpreted the law like these fools are doing. imagine pf is the third party to run this country and to date they still take pipo for granted sorry for these pipo can laz then come in and tell the pipo what is really true
Stone age mentality. These Policemen need to be schooled.. This is 2014 and we have such kind of thinking?