TIZ guides on Bill of Rights

TIZ Executive Director Goodwell Lungu

Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) has urged all stakeholders to embark on educating Zambian citizens on contents of the just released Bill of Rights in readiness for the referendum to be held on 11^th August 2016.

TIZ Executive Director Goodwell Lungu in a statement says he has noted that in the past, stakeholders have spent a lot of time debating the process of enacting the Constitution thereby denying citizens an opportunity to be educated on the contents.

Mr. Lungu furthermore notes that the provisions of the Bill of Rights among others will help in making the State to be accountable to the citizens.

He says some of the key progressive elements of the Bill are that it will guarantee the rights of freedom of expression, assembly, association, access to information, equality before the law, youths and children’s rights, social, political, legal, economic and cultural rights of citizens.

He explains that the Bill further guarantees the freedom and independence of the media in article 23 (1).

Mr. Lungu reiterates that stakeholders will only waste time at this hour if they concentrate on debating the process adding that now is the time to educate the public on the contents of the Bill of Rights.