Zambia Police have summoned the organizers of Sistah Sistah Foundation Zambia’s march-past event, which was held on March 4, 2023, at the Rugby Club in the Show Grounds. The foundation had applied for a permit to hold the event to raise awareness against women and girls’ sexual and gender-based violence.
“The Sistah Sistah Foundation Zambia applied for a permit to hold a March-past within Lusaka District to raise awareness against women and girls sexual and Gender-Based Violence,” said Deputy Police Public Relations Officer Danny Mwale. “The permit was granted considering that issues of sexual and GBV are on the increase as detected by the Police Victim Support Unit. As such, this was deemed to be a noble cause by the Police.”
However, during the march-past event, the conveners exhibited a different agenda from the one for which they sought a permit. The agenda seemed to highlight issues of LGBTQ (homosexuality). This goes against the laws of Zambia, where practicing homosexuality is a crime punishable by law under Sections 155 and 157 of the Penal Code Chapter 87.
“In addition, Zambia is a Christian nation, and the government does not champion homosexuality,” added Mwale. “It is in this vain that the Zambia Police Service has summoned the conveners of the March-past in order to ascertain why the event was turned into a forum for championing homosexuality.”
The conveners of the event have been summoned by the police to explain their actions. “We want to know why they decided to use the event to promote homosexuality, which is against our laws and culture,” said Mwale. “We also want to remind the public that freedom of expression and assembly does not mean that they can break the law.”
The incident has sparked a debate in the country, with some people supporting the conveners’ right to freedom of expression and assembly, while others argue that they should have adhered to the original agenda for which they sought a permit.
“Everyone has the right to freedom of expression and assembly, but this does not mean that they can break the law,” said Lusaka resident Jane Banda. “The organizers of the march-past should have stuck to their original agenda, which was to raise awareness against women and girls’ sexual and gender-based violence.”
Others, however, feel that the conveners had a right to express their views on LGBTQ issues. “We live in a democracy, and everyone has the right to express their views, even if they are not popular,” said human rights activist David Mwila. “We should not be afraid to have conversations about LGBTQ issues, and the organizers of the march-past should be commended for starting this conversation.”
It is unclear at this time what the consequences for the conveners of the event may be. The police have warned members of the public not to deliberately flout the law by taking advantage of the prevailing environment that allows for freedom of expression and assembly. The debate around the incident is likely to continue in the coming days and weeks.
Backward African politics
It was said during the campaigns that UPND will bring homosexuals and Gays ……We did not listen.
Here they are now ……at least one promise has been achieved. ” My…pu…..my choice ” is here right .
It’s legitimate to fight for your rights through public protest. At the end of the protest you ought to hv a petition to an appropriate public office detailing what you want addressed. Where’s the petition from these people? There’s nothing. So what are they demonstrating for? This is a voice in the wilderness and government will no doubt ignore it.
Our President has bn paraded in the west as the beacon of democrac and Champion of human rights in Africa. Can he stop the LGBTQ? I doubt!
You want the Money from the west. How can you stop their lesbians and homossexuals from parading themselves in the streets of Lusaka? You cant Sir. Their money comes with conditions.
When some embassies flew gay flags at their embassies the govt turned a blind eye and ignored.
When there was gay conference in Livingstone govt ignored ….
When they met in Lusaka the govt turned a blind eye and ignored….
Now they in the streets chanting…..”my Pushi my choice”…..
Where is Jack Mwiimbu? Where is Kajoba? Lets see the act if they are men enough worth their jobs.
They work on instructions from community house
They are now taking advantage of absence of caders on the streets………
Keep your homosexuality to yourself , stop flaunting it………..
Dot tell , don’t ask should be your behaviour…..
You are now provoking Zambians
Just trying to cover your tracks! Where, were the police when this thing was taking place? Escorting. There were police monitoring the march. We all know that.
Just be man enough and take responsibility. In addition to all that, they had offensive words printed on their posters. Did anyone point that out? No.
The police were scared of doing anything. But now that the politician have seen the blunder, they have instructed the police to do a show to convince us that it didn’t have the approval of upnd.
One Rev.Chilekwa M of Ndola has aptly described the Police conduct as insulting the intelligence of Zambians.
I cannot agree more.
https://www.lusakatimes.com/2023/03/06/dont-insult-the-intelligence-of-zambians-the-law-breakers-enjoyed-police-escort-throughout/
They are dressed like that (girls/women in shorts, in a busy road) and yet trying to prevent sexual violence against women? Are they not tempting more of it, dressed like that?
I am against this LGBT campaign, but looking at global trends, I doubt this will be permanently stopped. I think these guys will be temporarily stopped, but long term outlook appears this is a train in motion
Yeah because Africans have a tendency to copy everything the white man does. Africans think it is progress to act like the white man yet they are erasing their identity and adopting someone elses culture. Just look at our president and his efforts of wanting to look like the whiteman. We are lost to expect guidance from him. It will be LGBT until another white man comes with a different message
@Kamboni…It’s not in the Muslim Arab countries, nor in most of Asia. Not even in China or Russia. The West’s focus is only on Africa. It’s like they have an agenda for black people. Not sure whether it’s population control or who knows what. Either way, Africans must resist and reject this Alphabet agenda as it’s unAfrican and unchristian.
Even in the worlds biggest democracy, namely India it is not there because unlike African culture,
Indian culture is strong.
The police were escorting the parade. How in the world can they claim that they were surprised that “the LGBTQ agenda highjacked the movement?” If anything, the real noble cause of “raising awareness against women and girls’ sexual and gender-based violence,” has now been undermined by this decadent homosexual agenda. Keep treating this decadent movement with kid gloves, and you’ll see very soon what will happen to Zambia’s moral values. Obviously HH is enabling this by his indifference. He’s acting like he’s not aware of what’s happening, but Zambians aren’t stupid and can see right through his shenanigans.
Lets not blame the Police, we were not on the spot. What if those shoutiing those slogans were far from where Police was. This country is a country which is always working on assumptions, you think the Police do not know that that was unlawful, even some politicians with parties and following are weighing in on this, even some former ministers in the past regime which did more damage than this are committing
The adultery that is committed on a daily basis in this christian nation is no different from what these LGBT guys are doing, So stop playing champion here
kkkkk they have taken advantage of the weak police service.IG is not fit to hold that position hence needs to be fired.We have heard alot corruption cases now is time clean up the mess in societies we live in like squashing LGBT. The police sercive is very polus and investigations must be instituted soon to bring the culprit to book,there is corruption here mmmm kkkkk mmm .We dont want rotten values in our country.
kkkkk they have taken advantage of the weak police service.IG is not fit to hold that position hence needs to be fired.We have heard alot corruption cases now is time clean up the mess in societies we live in like squashing LGBT. The police sercive is very polus and investigations must be instituted soon to bring the culprit to book,there is corruption here mmmm kkkkk mmm .We dont want rotten values in our country.