POSA Bill sails through House

The additions made to the Bill made by the House committee include a requirement that in cases where the police use force to break up public gatherings they should prepare reports stating reasons why they did so.

The report must state the identity of the officers, report any deaths, injuries or loss of or damage to property resulting from the use of the force with such reports to be immediately forwarded to the minister of Home Affairs or the convener of the gathering.

The amendments to POSA, one of a raft of laws used by President Robert Mugabe to silence critics, were steered through Parliament by MDC-T chief whip Innocent Gonese, who raised the amendments through a private members bill.

This is the first time in Zimbabwes parliamentary history that a private members bill has managed to sail through the House of Assembly.

The Bill now goes to the Senate where Zanu (PF), which controls the upper chamber, could either force changes to the proposed law or even block it altogether. Even if given the Bill is given the nod by Senate, it would still require Mugabes signature to become effective law.

Meanwhile the MDC has described the passage of the Bill as a major victory and urged all parties in the inclusive government to back its drive to have all repressive laws reviewed.

“The party wishes to congratulate our legislators,” MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said.

“The MDC takes this opportunity to encourage the inclusive government to review all retrogressive laws that curtail peoples freedoms across the board to bring meaning to the exercise of democracy and citizens rights. In particular, all media laws AIPPA, the Broadcasting Services Act, and the Censorship and Entertainment Act must be repealed as a matter of urgency,” he said.