Home Affairs Minister Davies Mwila has disclosed that Government will ensure that the controversial Public Order Act is amended by the August elections.
Mr Mwila said the Ministries of Home Affairs and Justice are ready to present the amendment bill to Parliament in the next sitting that commences tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14 2016.
He said Government has listened to the cries from several stakeholders on the need to have the Act amended.
He highlighted the clause that requires that those holding outdoor meetings notify the police at least seven days before the event as one of the provisions that will be dealt with the amended Act.
Mr Mwila said there is a general consensus that the notification period can be shortened to at least four to five days.
The Home Affairs Minister was speaking when he appeared on the Sunday TV television programme on ZNBC las night.
Mr Mwila said PF Ministers refused to support a private members motion to amend the Public Order Act that was moved by Choma Central UPND MP Cornelius Mweetwa because the idea to amend the Act was originally a PF idea which he said the opposition wanted to hijack.
He said some aspects of the Act will be maintained saying a law to regulate public order is still essential even in a democracy.
Mr Mwila assured that the PF will take the amendments to Parliament in the next sitting, a feat that many governments failed to attain since 1991.
Now that they know they are going into opposition,they have finally brought it.at the every end of the match.
These Ministers refuse to accept progressive and workable ideas suggested by the opposition for implementation simply because they originate from the oppostion and when they are in a fix, they challenge the opposition to come up with solutions to the problems they in the first place caused by rejecting solutions. Unbelievable!
@1 “IF WISHES WERE HORSE YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN RIDING THE WHITEST ONE”. WITH HH THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE. FIND A LEADER WITH A NATIONAL CHARACTER TO COME AND DELETE ALL THE TRIBAL AND REGIONAL STUFF IN YOUR UPND PARTY CV.
How about the FOI bill? Change it before you leave otherwise when you are in chimbokaila after august 11, no one will hear how you will be treated.
If Edgar and his PF were smart, they will use their last few days in power to pass progressive legislation. But is Mumbi Phiri, Davies Chama and Chishimba Kambwili are chief advisors , one can have doubts
FAKA PRESSURE OPPOSITION. THIS IA WHAT WE MEAN TO HAVE CHECKS AND BALANCES. HH’S EFFORTS ARE YIELDING FRUIT. VIVA HH VIVA! VIVA CHANGE VIVA! VIVA UPND VIVA! ZAMBIA FORWARD. IJANZA KUMBELE!
Dear MPs just expect to be dribbled by PF. Lungu and his minions will always stack the tables in their favour.
That’s how we run this country … we push and push and push and finally the listening President takes action. That’s what I am talking about!!!
I endorse ECL as the next CEO & President of the smart people of the Zambian Enterprise. Great move, Mr. President on making sure the POA is amended before the next elections as per the needful!
You will win the next elections fair and square and no one will be blaming their 5th loss on that draconian and outdated bill. Attach the referendum to election and bring the Bill of Rights and Zambia will be the best place to live on earth
Paliement gets desolved on or before May 11th, so we only have 30 days to ague out the modalities and inclusions, do we have that much time??
@peter iam sorry to tell you that HH will never apologize to any one for being Tonga because he did not chose but Jehova saw it fit to create HH in his image as a Tonga.Which national character are talking about are trying to insinuate that all Kaondes,Luvale,Lozis or Mbundas are not National in character only Nyanjas and Bembas are?Shame too you leave stone age politics to bashikulu in the village.Zambians have inter married and have co existed for more than 50yrs.HH is Zambian ,hence qualifies to contest and rule as republican president.VIVA HH 2016.
This minister is childish. How can he give such a reason for the PF not having supported the Private Member’s Bill on the amendment of the Public Order Act? This shows the calibre of the chaps we have in government. This is government for jokers. They behave like egoistic children who always want to claim credit on anything. The government does not have the monopoly of wisdom, nobody has. We all depend on one another and that’s why it is important to pay attention to other people’s views and opinions. The PF have been very arrogant and that’s why today everything has turned against them. They have never wanted to listen to others. These are stiff-necked crooks who have run our country and its economy to the ground. Now they have to pay the price.
Sido Mark, as you are saying if Zambians have inter married and coexisted etc, why have u Tongas refused to change and accept others as they are, why do yu hate others with passion, why do yu practice tribalism by e.g employing only tongas etc. Your tribalism is unprecedented in this Countries
a-Banda aba ndiyo, apasa a-Lungu, a-Lungu alungula…….apasa Hakainde……..Hakainde asekelela……..
This is rubish coming from the minister. An idea is an idea thats all. It doesn’t matter whom it is coming from. PF, MMD, FDD, UPND. If it is good use it. But very childish to say it ours. Hijacking this or that no sense.
He has no grade 12 certificate
So the all bunch are clueless,visionless,brainless,hopeless,useless and drunkards just like their boss edgar chakolwa kaloba Wrungu.
With such people in Government, I can only exclaim and say ‘ behold my fellow compatriots, we have run an absurd race. Let us sing the chorus of the song by voting out the very organization that has created MISERY in our midist., I mean, let us unite for once and vote out the PF Party and it’s Government from power in the forthcoming elections.
And how abt your Vice president GBM. Is he better than this minister
I can’t bring myself to imagine what another five years with this bunch of humans will do to us. Let’s organise & kick them out.
Are they afraid that it will come back to bite them in the bums once they leave the corridors of power? They are either scared or some external influence (donors maybe) is exerting pressure on them.
Just repeal the whole thing, why amend an outdated colonial law which just serves to stifle people’s human rights.
The police can still do their jobs under other current existing laws.
@ Maverick
Please try to think. Which “…other current existing laws…” can replace POA? NONE
My only hope is that they don’t add other un necessary information to the public order act that will suit PF since they know that come 11th may,2016 election campaign will start in full swing.PF is afraid of UPND and want to add something to the public order act that will make opposition hard to get a permit.Iam very suspicious I don’t trust these criminals.Let ECZ produce the total number of registered voters in each constituency and provinces.We need to know because we have the data already that ECZ is doctoring the register.May I warn that can create serious war.
Really laughable ….surely is that even worth reporting…how other countries manage without such retrogressive laws?
So after HH loses in August who will be the UPanOwn party
CAPITULATED AT LAST
Please, ensure that you take into account the standard Posting Rule in Zambia as earlier on contemplated when the law was made otherwise it may not bring about the desired results. This notice has to be done in accordance with the Posting Rule of a given country. This should reflect all human activities in Zambia not only political rallies which will come and disappear after elections to avoid gaps in other activities.
Aptitude test for ZWD/ UPND supporters..
2006 HH, 2008 HH, 2011 HH, 2015 HH, 2016 HH…what will the next 3 elections be ?..
a) 2021, 2026, 2031
b) 2026,2028, 2031
c)2022,2026,2031
d)non of the above he will retire after 2016 loss
Thanks for your participation 😉
@3.1 John Banda: as usual you want to slander innocent people without evidence. If you want to see the true face and dangers of tribalism go to Investrust. Wako ni wako practiced by our cousins the wise men has destroyed a formerly viable banking institution.
grade twelvesless minister..kekekekekekekekekekekekeke
There is nothing wrong with the Public Order Act. Do not amend it. Instead, amend, by deletion, all the people that cannot interpret or implement it civilly as it was conceived. The list of those to be deleted includes Kanganja, the Minister of Home Affairs, Kambwili, the President and the entire PF.