Human Rights Commission welcomes plans to amended Public Order Act

Human Rights Commission has commended the State on the move to facilitate the amendment and enactment of the amended Public Order Act.

And Anti Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) Executive Director Richwell Mulwani has also praised the Minister of Justice Given Lubinda for the move to table the amendment of the public order act in the current sitting of parliament.

The Minister of Justice Given Lubinda said during an interview with the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) yesterday that Government will facilitate the amendment and enactment of the amended Public Order Act.

Human Right Commission Spokesperson Mweelwa Muleya said, in a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today, that the amendment of the Public Order Act is late as it is one of the outstanding pieces of law that need to be revised.

Mr. Muleya added that the public order act has been used more to violet civil rights, political rights and freedoms than to protect and promote them.

He explained that the Act has in the recent past been used to suppress the right to freedom of assembly and expression of different views and opinions of the general public.

The Human Rights Commission Spokesperson stated that the commitment of the state through the Justice Minister Given Lubinda to amend the public order act is encouraging, hence the need for support from stakeholders to ensure its fulfilment.

And Anti Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) Executive Director Richwell Mulwani has also praised the Minister of Justice Given Lubinda for the move to table the amendment of the public order act in the current sitting of parliament.

“ The amendment of the public order act is the right direction for to take as a country, “Mr. Mulwani explained adding that: “ is futile to have a law that undermines the people’s confidence in the electoral process by infringing on their freedom of movement, right to assembly and the right to association ,thereby been a problem in the political arena.”

The AVAP Executive Director has appealed to all members of parliament to consider supporting the amendment of the public order act as they debate on various issues in Parliament in that the public order Act is a right for the people of Zambia.