By MILDRED
KATONGO –
THE Human Rights Commission (HRC) says fair enforcement of the Public Order Act (POA) will help curb violence before, during and after the 2016 general elections.
HRC chief information, education and training officer Mweelwa Muleya said the Commission expected the police to enforce the Act in a fair manner to avoid political violence.
Mr Muleya said in an interview that if the POA was not enforced fairly, it would create discrimination which would result in conflicts among political players.
“As HRC we focus on seeing fair play in terms of how the POA is enforced by the police. We feel that will help curb political violence in the run-up to this year’s general elections,” he said.
He said Zambians should be allowed to enjoy their freedom of assembly, adding that the police should treat all political players fairly in accordance with the Act.
Mr Muleya said the respect for human rights was one of the pillars of democracy without which democratic governance could not be attained.
He said the Commission was encouraged by pronouncements from Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja that the police command would start training its officers in how to handle issues related to the POA.
