Hon. Dr Energy Mutodi (PhD)@energymutodiThe Maintenance of Peace & Order bill has been tabled in the Senate with most senators in support of the bill esp. the clause that allows the President to deploy the army in the event of violent protests. Conveners of violent protests will also be liable if property is damaged.
Government has argued that the successor law to the Public Order and Security Act (Posa), which will be promulgated soon, will further open up democratic space by entrenching the right to demonstrate and present petitions, among other far-reaching freedoms that Government is determined to promote.
It is believed that the Maintenance of Peace and Order (Mopo) Bill will also align the law to several Constitutional Court rulings that outlawed Section 27 of Posa, which allows police to issue a temporary prohibition order on holding of public demonstrations in cases where there is a likelihood for public violence.
