UPND RUBBISHES RIGHTS ABUSE REPORT

Mr Katambo said the party cannot allow people to be subjected to inhuman acts like it was in the previous regime.

He was reacting to the Human Rights Watch report which has detailed glaring abuses of citizens with dissenting views by the new dawn administration largely on freedom of speech and assembly.

“For us we wouldn’t want to agree the perceptive that human rights in Zambia have worsened from where they were, we are wondering whether the report is comparing human rights now to human rights under the PF.

Because if you are trying to compare our human rights record now to human rights abuse record under the PF then we would say this report is not factual, because we had more and adverse human rights abuse under PF which we are victims.

“We have seen the report saying people are being denied the right to go and hold rallies, you and I know that the government is trying to review the Public Order Act but before reviewing it we need to follow what the current law says. And the current law is specific on how public assemblies can be done,” he said.

Mr Katambo said “Its not the UPND that is breaking the law, no, the law is as it is and until it’s reviewed. So, if you are talking about opposition not having rallies have they followed right procedure, and the police can guide if they have enough man power or not.

Mr Katambo said in an interview yesterday that, it is therefore absurd to accuse the UPND of abusing human rights when the law is being applied accordingly.

“We are hoping that the Public Order Act is reviewed before the end of this year so that people are given chance to enjoy rights of assembly. Consultations are being done and once the law is reviewed and we are found abrogating the new POA then Human Rights Watch will be right to say there are abuses of human rights in the country,” he said.

He said the UPND is trying by all means to protect human rights.