The Human Rights Commission has called upon the Zambia Police Service to put an immediate stop to the continued arbitrary application of the Public Order Act, and respect everyone’s rights to freedom of association and assembly.
Commission Chairperson Dr. Pamela Sambo has observed a worrying trend where the Police have either stopped or disrupted the opposition political parties and leaders from exercising their inalienable, democratic and constitutional rights to freedom of association and assembly.
Dr Sambo cited the arbitrary conduct of the Police in Kabwe District of Central Province where a police officer unceremoniously entered the office of Bishop Clement Mulenga in an attempt to disrupt a meeting or courtesy call by the Sixth Republican President, Edgar Lungu, on 17th May 2024.
She has since strongly condemned the invasion of the Catholic Bishop’s office by the Police in an attempt to suppress Mr. Lungu’s enjoyment of the rights to freedom of association and assembly
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“It is commendable that Government has since tendered an apology to the Catholic Church for the Police misconduct and violation of human rights through the invasion of the private meeting. While the apology in itself may be commendable for demonstrating acceptance of wrong doing by the State, the Commission is calling upon Government to go beyond apologising for the arbitrary Police conduct in the Kabwe case,” she explained.
Dr Sambo has therefore advised Government to exercise magnanimity by addressing the growing concerns over increased cases of violation of the rights of the opposition parties to freely assemble and associate.