President Hakainde Hichilema has sharply defended the New Dawn governmentโs commitment to the rule of law and constitutionalism and says his administration will apply those tenets without segregation.
Speaking when he opened the Fourth Session of the 13th National Assembly last Friday, Hichilema says the rule of law, respect for human rights, and constitutionalism are at the core of his government.
โWe are committed to upholding and protecting these principles in totality, and not from one angle. The new dawn government will continue to uphold the rule of law, no matter what is being said out there.โ
Hichilema says the government continues to deepen the countryโs democratic credentials by ensuring the separation of powers and strengthening of oversight institutions. He affirmed the need for citizens to continue enjoying their basic rights.
โYour government remains committed to respect, protect, and uphold the rights of all citizens. With every right, however, comes obligation and responsibility.โ
Hichilema also reiterated the need for consensus on the countryโs Constitution and called for reforms to ensure the document reflects peoplesโ true aspirations. He added that the government will facilitate a cost-efficient and credible constitutional reform process. โThe Constitution remains an important document for our identity as a people.โ
Hichilema stated that his government has increased the civic and democratic space in the country, and that citizens are free to voice their concerns without fear of retribution.
โAll political players, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders are using media platforms to reach out to the public without any hindrance.โ
He cautioned against abuse of social media, warning that it had plunged some countries into anarchy.
โFreedoms do not mean abuse. We urge citizens to stop abusing social media. You can put fire to a nation using a smartphone. If you want to run a country, what country will you run which is in smoke?โ
Hichilema says the government has passed the Access to Information Bill, and this has given people freedom to access information from public institutions.
โWith these freedoms, we urge citizens to avoid abusing social media and other media by spreading hate speech, misinformation, and propaganda that has the potential to threaten national security. No one should hide in the social media space to commit crimes. Criminality is criminality and it will be prosecuted.โ
โWe have seen social media being used to damage countries; people are hiding behind cell phones to commit crimes.โ
In August, the government invoked Section 54 of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act No.2 of 2021, with Home Affairs Minister Jack Mwiimbu stating that the move aimed to curb online hate speech, propaganda, defamation, and the abuse of children. Wrongdoers could face up to five years imprisonment.
