LET PEOPLE PROTEST AT AU SUMMIT – GEARS

By TAWANDA MUNYUKI
POLICE must not deny people the right to protest in the name of the African Union summit, Governance Electoral Advocacy Research Services Initiative executive director McDonald Chipenzi has said.
Mr Chipenzi said allowing protests and demonstrations at the AU summit would send a good signal about the country’s freedom by citizens to other African countries that did not allow their nationals to express themselves through demonstrations and protests.
Mr Chipenzi said peaceful protests, demonstrations and picketing must be allowed as a democratic ingredient in a constitutional democracy anchored on respect for citizens’ freedoms.
And Mr Chipenzi said those who wanted to protest, demonstrate or picket at the AU summit must be allowed to notify the Zambia Police Service in time and their permits should not be denied on the basis of the summit.