Maravi

Civil society calls off honking, whistling

Civil society calls off honking, whistling
Written by Chibaula Silwamba
Wednesday, October 07, 2009 7:31:51 AM

INSPECTOR General of Police Francis Kabonde yesterday convinced 18 civil society organisations (CSOs) to call off honking against the acquittal of former president Frederick Chiluba on charges of theft of US $500,000 public funds.

Kabonde held a more than three-hour meeting with representatives of the 18 CSOs at Zambia Police Service headquarters in Lusaka after which the CSOs agreed to call off honking on Friday, saying they would use other means of protest such as holding rallies, protest marches and petitions, among others.

Some CSOs’ representatives, who attended the meeting called by Kabonde, said they were told that honking was illegal.

“Mr Kabonde was trying to intimidate us at first but he changed and was pleading with us to call off the honking on Friday because it was illegal,” the insider said. “The police said, 'when you look at the law, to hoot to the annoyance of road users or any other person becomes an offence. It’s very clear when you hoot to the annoyance of other people then you are breaking the law'.”

The source said the police argued that noises of celebrations were not an offence while certain noises like those that annoy others were an offence.

The source said the CSOs said they would only sign the communiqué of their agreement to call off honking if the police assured them that they would unconditionally drop cases against two Patriotic Front (PF) members of parliament Mumbi Phiri [Munali] and Jean Kapata [Mandevu] and seven others who honked last Friday.

“The IG assured us that the police would have no problems dropping those cases but he demanded that we pursued the people who were arrested not to sue the police for unlawful detention,” the insider said. “The IG acknowledged our right to protest but he said they had a problem with honking because it was illegal. He said as the police, they had a duty to provide law and order. We, therefore, agreed to call off honking but we will use other means such as rallies, marching and petitions. We also told the IG that we had problems with the double standards applied by the police in allowing various groupings in Zambia that want to protest. But he assured us that the police will permit us to protest.

“We told the police that, 'what we are asking you bwana IG is that can you apply the law fairly. If you want to apply the same law on us we agree. Law breaking should not be condoned in this country',” the source said.

The source said the CSOs told Kabonde that they honked during Chiluba’s anti-third term bid and when they were demanding for the lifting of his immunity.

The source said CSOs wondered why the police were now saying it was illegal when the same means were used in the past.

Labels: CHILUBA, CIVIL SOCIETY, CSO, DEMONSTRATION

posted by MrK @ 6:33 AM