A senior legislator of Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change has proposed the significant revision of the country's much-maligned Public Order and Security Act often referred to as POSA, and the reforms are expected to be debated early next year, political sources said Wednesday.
Movement for Democratic Change Chief Whip Innocent Gonese filed the proposed legislation to amend the draconian legislation which among other provisions seriously restricts public assembly rights.
The proposed amendments would redefine "public demonstration" so as to exclude meetings in closed venues such as halls, and union meetings.
The new language also reduces the number of days advance notice that organizers of a public gathering are obliged to give police.
Gonese could not immediately be reached for comment.
Pretoria-based Zimbabwe Exiles Forum Executive Director Gabriel Shumba, a human rights lawyer, told VOA Studio 7 reporter Patience Rusere that POSA should not just be amended but taken off the books entirely.
