‘Banning SACCORD is a bad precedent’
TIZ Executive Director Goodwell Lungu says the the intended deregistration is unfortunate and is a wrong signal to the democratic standing of Zambia.
He said the judgment if not overturned on appeal will set a bad precedent in terms of freedoms of associations and expression Zambians ought to enjoy.
According to Lungu, the verdict will further narrow the political space available for civil society organizations to participate freely in national development.
He claimed that the judgment completely ignored Section 13(3) of the Societies Act which he believes is specific in protecting and ensuring procedural fairness. He said that the Act provides that prior to cancelling any registration under the provisions of section 13,the registrar shall notify his intention to the society concerned and shall give such society an opportunity to submit reasons why the registration should not be cancelled.
He said TIZ finds the ruling by the High Court as a perpetuation of the rather unfair and unfortunate antagonistic approach towards Civil Society Organizations by the current Government.
He added that the ruling adds impetus to the continued victimization of civil society organizations particularly governance NGOs who constructively criticize Government for non-performance or poor prioritization of national development issues.
Lungu further said that the fight against corruption and promotion of good governance in Zambia has reached a crossroad and therefore the deregistering of any of the NGOs cripples the efforts and strides towards building a culture of transparency and integrity in Zambia.
He said SACCORD has been one of the few independent civil society organizations that was key in promoting good governance and conflict resolution and therefore throwing out the application by the high court is a drawback to the civil society fraternity.
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There are some untrue comments that have been posted on this site which are are being floated by ignorant chaps about the deregistration of SACCORD. Be it from cadres or whoever, it should be noted that making unsubstatianted remarks is wrong. I know this organisation having worked with it in the eastern province and their work does not have anything to do with training military or whatsoever. can someone show evidence to that effect. Does this give people an opportunity to waffle anything about Saccord it is unfortunate and unjust. look at yourself do you know what you stand for and do you know what you are writing about? state security and inimical activities, these are seriuos issues which would equate to arrests but why has not government arreseted anyone and pointed out what those activities are. I think some of you with ignoble agendas shuold be fair to yourseleves. For once be fair to yourseleves and tell the truth. This is not about SACCORD only it is about our democracy. Dont be excited today because you are in government. The same laws being used against others will be used against you.
Why are some bloggers so short sighted and habour such short memories that they even deliberately want brig RB in the SACCORD mess. This issue dates back to 2004. That time RB was at his farm. If you wish to know at that time LPW was president.
In any case who is SACCORD? Those thieving NGOs make me sick!
I will be the devils advocate and agree with Volcanologist on one point. The Goverment has a duty to maintain law and order and as such all Governments around the world have some form of power/ authority to control institutions that in their opinion are threatening law and order. Though in my opinion the gOvernment acted a little overhanded in this case. However Governments will always retain such powers. The problem is where the line between national interest and self preservation lies. Government should act responsibly
I do not surport the act but that does not mean we should not look at the details of the situation objectively > when Gen Shikapwasha was Minister of Home Affairs under the Mwanawasa regime he used the ministerial powers to ban Saccord. he claimed it was fanning trouble in its campaign agaimst the public order act. SACCORD then went to court and challenged the ministers decision and have been operating under a stay of execution. This stay has now fallen off as a result of SACCORD losing the case. I dont feel it is fair to blame the Judiary as they were simply interpreting the law. which is their duty. One needs to bo tackled is such bad laws. My suspicion is this particular law is one of the many remains of the constitution that the Colonialists left at independence. so the issue is not the judges but the law and the lack of tolerence that our politicians have. This intollerance is actually accross all aparties and you can see that in how the countries main parties are run i.e. MMD. PF and UPND
SACCORD saw it coming and have respect for the High Court Judges who arrived at this judgement.I disagree with TIZ that doing so is undermining democracy. Even in a mature democratic society there are a set of rules to follow and this is so to zambia. No sane government in office will blind fold itself when an NGO or GRZ department over steps itself to start influencing institutions maintaining law and order, and security of a nation to be influenced to revolt against government by way of training them to the contrary. In fact, thats treasonable offence and SACCORD must count themselves luck to ve only be banned. Am sure TIZ should also research widely and read UNDP reports especially the one on Democracy and Governance in Developing countries and see how Zambia is rated.
TIZ should not behave as if Zambia is not their mother land and dance to who ever is financing them and behave unobjectively on national issues of security nature. Let us build on the democracy achieved so far and not pointing accusing figure when even us in TIZ do are not accountable to the public on how resources given to us are used but only seeing our bosses driving posh vehicles in Lusaka.
Too bad for SACCORD and hope this is a lesson to other who might think of overstepping their boundaries of duty.
Banning an NGO for political reasons? nshyaufwapo anywhere in the world, nipa Zambia fye.
I have not been able to follow this case. Bushe nabo nibakabwalala? niba Lazo tefyo? Banning an NGO ? I am confused, next on the que are Catholics, the way things are, mmh mmh Catholic church will be deregistered starting with Lusaka dioces, Mongu, Ndola. Chipata is near Malawi it may survive.
To be honest, the deregistration of SACCORD has nothing to do with the current Rupiah Band Government but has more to do with the Govt of Mwanawasa who had instructed the deregistration of SACCORD some years back. SACCORD appealed against the deregistration and applied for an injuction restraining the govt to close the organisation. All along SACCORD has been operating under an injuction. This ruling as a result of the action that was taken on SACCORD by Mwanawas because SACCORD was trainning military personnel to establish unions. Govt had by the then had warned SACCORD about the trainning of soldiers and Police to create a workers union. So NGOs condemming this action should provide a background on the reasons why SACCORD was deregistered and discuss the merits or demerits of trainning military personnel to create unions, The question that should be addressed is, Was the activity by SACCORD legal, if legal then we should condem. NGOs should not just say NGOs should not be deregistered as if NGOs are above the law.
“Transparency International Zambia says the deregistration of the Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) is a
continuation of the victimization of civil society organizations”.
When did this organization take this mater to court? Was it during the Rupiah Banda era or the Mwanawasa era. Somebody told me this was in 2004 long before Rupiah Banda was even Vice-President!!! Can we have clarification please? Why did the Minister want them de-registered in the first place? Or what wrong did SACCORD commit?
Its unfortunate our colleagues will loose their jobs but lets pray they get them back on appeal.
LETS JUST WATCH AS WE ALWAYS DO!!!
This is Rupiah and his High Court minions who are messing up Zambia. Onde day they will be forced to account for all these stupidities. Last week one guy actually insulted the judges in court from being fed up with their unfair corrupt rulings. It has now been a trend since the acquittal of Chiluba that the justice system no longer has a sense of self-respect. The courts have gone to the dogs and have lost the respect of the Zambian people. It is no longer esteemed position to be a court justice, because everybody now knows that it means you are Rupiah’s watch dog. In deed all court jusges are work for Rupiah and they are his guard dogs which work at night and during the day. I don’t know whether Rupiah has a brain in that fat head of his or he has cotton wool, or may be his head is full of matika.
Well this is Zambia for us. We have a government that seeks to undermine al the gains of the struggle for independence. The Zambian people are now faced with a choice of whether to maintain this regime that only seems to enrichen themselves or remove them for the betterment of future generations. I will go for removal as I feel the MMD is longer beyond the sale by date
Zambia is not a democracy but a draconian dictatorship that day in and day out undermines the rights of its individual citizens and NGOs in a strong bid to throatal their freedom of expression.
Zambia is not a democracy but a dictatorship as its people have no real choices, this inept government in its entirity, that is; the Judiciciary, National Assembly and of cause the Executive, are all tools of oppression. Laws are made in parliament to target individuals and organisations,courts are corrupt and inept like the recent case of Chilekwa and others vs Masiye Motel. The presidents influence on Chiluba’s theft case.
Zambia has a government that everyday seeks to shut out voices of reason like SACCORD.
I urge the docile people of Zambia for once to rise and use people power to set themselves free from this cancer called MMD government.