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(LUSAKATIMES) Red card campaigns will not be allowed – Mangani

Red card campaigns will not be allowed – Mangani
Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 9:54

THE Government has said it is illegal for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Zambia to advocate the removal of a democractically-elected Government using potentially dangerous means such as the ‘red card’ campaigns.

Home Affairs Minister, Lameck Mangani said in Lusaka yesterday that NGOs should be sober in their criticism, and should concentrate on civic campaigns instead of agitating violence. He said the NGOs would not be allowed to hold demonstrations against the Government because that would be a recipe for anarchy.

However, the NGOs spokesperson, Obby Chibuluma said they would go ahead with the rallies and demonstrations but ensure that everything was done in conformity with the laws.

Mr Mangani said the civil society could instead campaign for issues such as good governance and the promotion of fair play in elections which could in turn allow Zambians to make informed decisions through an electoral system allowed by the country’s Constitution.

He said this in an interview after meeting some NGOs representatives at his office.
Among those who attended the meeting were Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes executive director, Lee Habasonda, Transparency International Zambia president, Reuben Lifuka and his executive director Goodwell Lungu, and Anti-Voter Apathy director, Bonnie Tembo.

The civil society had requested for a meeting with the minister, to which he consented.

Mr Mangani said he told the NGOs representatives during the meeting that there was no individual or organisation that had the right to force any citizen to remove a government elected by the people, and appealed to them to be objective in the manner they approached national issues.

He said the Government had a responsibility to ensure the peace Zambia had enjoyed over the years was sustained, and it was for that reason that it had often called for dialogue among the citizens.

Mr Mangani said unless the NGOs justified the need for demonstrations, the Government would not allow them to do so at the expense of national security.

The minister said while the Government acknowledged citizens’ rights to air their views, it was not ready to allow anybody to cause unnecessary confusion in the country.

“As far as the Government is concerned, we cannot allow the NGOs to take to the streets to demonstrate because we are not convinced with the reasons they have given us,“ he said.

Mr Mangani, however, described the meeting, which started at 11:00 hours and ended after 13:00 hours, as fruitful and assured the NGOs that the Government would remain open to dialogue for the benefit of the Zambian people.

And Mr Chibuluma said the CSOs would go ahead with the rallies and demonstrations, adding that to ensure no law was breached, the civil society went ahead to notify the police.

He, however, paid tribute to the Government for allowing them hold a meeting with them through the minister of Home Affairs, and described it as a step in the right direction.

“As civil society, we are happy that the minister met us but we did not go to his office to ask for any permit to hold rallies or demonstrations. We wanted to express ourselves after realising that our freedom of expression was being tampered with,” he said.

Mr Chibuluma acknowledged that dialogue was important in any society and the civil society would continue engaging the Government on various issues for continued mutual understanding.

[Times of Zambia]

Labels: LAMECK MANGANI, RED CARD CAMPAIGN

posted by MrK @ 4:08 PM