the proposed amendment of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA).
From Tuesday (today) we will gather ordinary peoples opinions on the proposed amendments. We will this week go to Mutare, Bulawayo, Murewa and Masvingo to mention a few places, said Paul Madzore, the chairperson of the committee.
On Wednesday the Bill will be debated at Masvingo Civic Centre. The next day it will be the Large City Hall in Bulawayo. Simultaneously on the same day there will also be hearings on the Bill at Gweru Theatre. On Friday, the committee will travel to Rimuka Hall in Kadoma before winding up the public consultation next week Monday in Harare.
Stakeholders and members of the public will be given the opportunity to give evidence and make representations. The amendments seek to stop the ‘stop and search’ provisions in the law. The proposed amendments also seek to limit the police’s powers to prohibit public gatherings. It proposes that the magistrates courts be given the power to clear or decline holding of meetings, instead of the police, added Madzore.
Since its enactment in 2002, POSA has been widely used by Zimbabwean police to suppress freedoms of expression, association and assembly and silence dissent in Zimbabwe.
Several people have been arrested for violating provisions of the Act, but the government has not achieved a single conviction on cases. In the past Zanu (PF) has hidden behind the law to deny political parties and civic society rights to hold rallies.
Post published in: Politics