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Parliamentarians join hands against POSA
MISA-Zimbabwe
October 07, 2010

Parliamentarians in the country's major political parties, ZANU PF and the two MDC factions on 4 October, 2010 agreed to amend the draconian law, Public Order and Security Act (POSA) during the Second reading stage of the Amendment Bill.

The POSA Amendment Bill was brought to the House of Assembly as a private member's bill by MDC-T Chief Whip Innocent Gonese in 2009.

Newly accredited daily paper, The Newsday, quoted ZANU PF MP's Obert Matshalaga (Zvishavane) and Makhosini Hlongwane (Mberengwa East) saying the proposed amendments to POSA were a welcome move that would guarantee freedom of assembly and speech as well as other freedoms. In the past ZANU PF MP's were opposed to any amendments to the law.

Background

POSA was borne out of the Law and Order Maintenance Act (LOMA), a law which was crafted and enacted during the colonial era of Ian Smith regime.

The law has, since its enactment in January 2002, been used to suppress freedom of expression and assembly for citizens with a number of provisions which include the notification or seeking of a police clearance to carry out any public event. The law also criminalizes the publishing or communications of false statements prejudicial to the state under section 15.

Over the years, journalists, civic society members and opposition supporters have been charged under sections of the POSA; leading to a number of lobby activities appealing for the amendment or total repeal of the Act.

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