Zambians urged to thoroughly scrutinize POA submissions

GEARS Initiative Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi

Governance, Elections, Advocacy, and Research Services (GEARS) Initiative Executive Director Mcdonald Chipenzi has called on Zambians to thoroughly scrutinize submissions on the public order act before they are taken to parliament.

Government is planning to take the draft public order act to all provincial headquarters only for review by the general public before it is taken to parliament for enactment into law.

And Mr. Chipenzi has dispelled assertions by Justice Minister Given Lubinda that many people are ignorant about the public order act.

Speaking during a meeting on human rights with the EU delegation at his office recently, Justice Minister Given Lubinda disclosed that a lot people are ignorant about the public order act.

But Mr. Chipenzi has told QTV news in an interview that Zambians are aware of the public order act but the challenge has been the manner it has been used by the ruling party.

Mr. Chipenzi says the public order act has mainly been used to suffocate peoples’ freedom of association and speech among many others.