THE consortium of 18 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has temporarily suspended honking, but will instead seek legitimate ways of protesting the acquittal of former President Chiluba.
And the Zambia Police Service has welcomed the move and warned that anybody who will honk on Friday risks being arrested.
Spokesperson of the consortium Sam Mulafulafu said the decision was made after the NGOs met with the Zambia Police Service command.
This is contained in a press statement issued in Lusaka yesterday.
“We shall temporarily suspend honking for this Friday. However, we encourage the general public to continue whistling, drumming and blowing horns/vuvuzelas to show their support to this noble cause. In addition, we appeal to Zambians to continue wearing black attire on Friday and actively participate in all advocacy activities in their respective areas,” the statement reads in part.
Police have assured the NGOs that their rights to demonstrate will not be interfered with.
The NGOs have vowed to continue to agitate for the appeal process against the acquittal of Dr Chiluba.
“We remain resolved to use all legal means possible to send our message across,” the statement reads.
The Zambia Police Service invited the consortium of 18 civil society organisations for a meeting on Tuesday to discuss public security concerns.
The Police Command said honking is illegal according to section 153, sub-section 1, 2 and 5 as well as section 223, sub-section 1 and 2 of the Road Traffic Act.
The NGOs have agreed with the Zambia Police Command that the former implements the law on public order in a fair and impartial manner.
And Police Service spokesperson Bonny Kapeso said the Zambia Police Service is grateful that the civil society organisations are receptive and has agreed to dialogue in the interest of peace.
He said the meeting with the NGOs resolved that police will support any lawful option that the civil society organisations will take, as long as it does not border on breaking the law.
Mr Kapeso also said police will allow the NGOs to hold peaceful demonstrations as long as notice is given and that this will also depend on the security situation.
“If anyone dares honking on Friday, we are going to arrest them and take them to court because we have done our part to reason with the civil society organisations,” he said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
And the circus continues…….
Guys you can Honk online. Do you want me to help you to design an email which honks online. It will go like wildfire.
Cowards . . .HH wants to taste the cells to build a cv for potential HE. Lets wait and see if he is man enough to spend a weekend inside…..
There are no legitimate ways of forcing GRZ on reappeal of Chiluba’s acquital. When FTJ’s immunity was being removed there was alot of excitement yet the man was never given a chance to defend himself which is against natural justice. The entire parliament went silent and had the man stripped of his immunity. The position of President is very delicate and some of decisions made by a sitting president may not please every citizen. FTJ gave out houses for a song (as liti as K10,000) yet no one is talking about it. In fact the man almost ruined my career and life he unresonably shut down one of the parastatals I used to work for and has not bben paid dues for 15yrs to date. I ve surved by the grace of god. Lets forget about the man and continue with our lives. NGO’s action is baseless.
Imwe pliz let those people with nothing to do go on and spend time honking and talking about undevelopmental issues. The NGO’s have nothing to do hence resolting to the honking and other noise making activities ( are you happy about something for you to honk and whistle aroung)? Come on Guys, these chaps (NGO’s) are just big time JOKERS they want to use the Chiluba issue to loby for money and perhaps show the world that they exist. BAKOLWE IMWE concentrate on your projects and bring out expected results. STOP confusing people.
NIMWE FIKUWE WITH SENSELESS MINDS.
One of these days some Zambians are going to lose their temper, their patience and their sense of humour, then we will see, not just to sit and be threatened by useless cops
But Sony ericsson # 6. It is not in dispute that honking without cause is an offence. And I feel we shoud direct our energies to more productive ventures. Chiluba was President 8 years ago , why are we stol obssessed with him. In un precendented circumstances he was stripped of his immunity ( whicj I surported then) . He subesequently was taken to courtand aquited. Lets close the chapter and move on …And I must add that actually the late LPM misled us in parliament as can be seen fom the fact that none of the issues used in parliament have been part of his charges.
As for the NGO’s theyhave their own agenda’s which I feel they are at liberty to pursue but right now I dont agree with them. And it is a fact that they are required to play to the tune of their donors. If they was no controversy, many of them would become irrelevant….
NGO’s, stop wasting your energies and resources on Kafupi…
‘Kwindi Kafupi’ will remain free as long as KK is a free man for all the atrocities he committed to the Zambian masses.
You reckon RB would be so silly to commit himself when he knows he would be the next one in hot soup post his reign?””???
Wake up NGO’s…….,
Honking or no honking, nothing will ever work..,j just drop it….
Let us have respect for our courts of law. FTJ’s immunity was lifted by parliament without giving him chance to exculpate himself simply because Mwanawasa as sitting president wanted it that way whether to settle personal scores or otherwise. let’s move forward with developmental issues and let the three wings of govt, Executive, Legislature and Judiciary perform their duties without outside interference.
Ba No#1,
your name is loud and clear…. mind boggling….
#10 yOU ARE ON TARGET. THESE NGO’S HAVE AN AGENDA TO PLEASE THEIR FINANCERS. MOST OF THEM ARE PERSONAL TO HOLDER ENTITIES. THERE IS NO WAY RB AND HIS GRZ CAN BE PUSHED AROUND BY VOCAL CHAPS LIKE SAM MULAFULAFU AND TEAM TO RUN PUBLIC AFFAIRS. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT NEEDS THE ATENTION OF NGO’S IF THEY ARE SERIOUS NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT FTJ. AT THE TIME HIS IMMUNITY WAS BEING REMOVED NON OF THEM STOOD TO CONDEMN THE UNDERHAND METHOD LEVY USED. JUNGLE LAWS AS BAD AS WHEN POLICE SHOT SUSPECTS DEAD WITHOUT FOLLOWING THE DUE PROCESS OF LAW. ITS NO SECRET HOW FTJ, VJ, CHUNGU ETC ENGINEERED LEVY’S RAISE TO POWER. LETS LEARN TO FORGIVE EACH OTHER. NGO’S DEMANDS ARE IN BAD FAITH ITS LIKE KILLING A FLY WITH A SLEDGE HAMMER. GOD GAVE U BRAINS TO REASON. FTJ PAID A HEAVEY PRICE FOR LEVY’S…
Guys honking is a protest, if you are not for it, stay in your valley, don’t honk. if anything Zambians should be fine with the honking, because its just a voice to say, I am not happy with this.
# 10, good. Am not against the protest. 1.) Those arrested so far, should not complain. No permit = you’ll be arrested under the current ZAMBIAN law, period. 2.) Why can we not take the same stance (protest) on other (real) issues that need real attention? 3.) Ok, so FTJ was acquitted, big deal! We all know he did some “wrong” while in power but so did KK and am sure Levy too (R.I.P the real ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT). # 9, I agree. If say, ba KK is prosecuted today for all the shady deals with ZCCM for example back in the day (yes, you know the deals), and he was found not guilty, what good is protesting going to do? We all know that, our justice system is corrupted; you may as well say it doesn’t exist. That’s our reality in Zambia today. Honking and whistling will NOT fix this. Let’s…