By 
Former Kasenengwa Lawmaker Sensio Banda has warned that the Public Gathering Bill in its current state will threaten civic space in the country ahead of the August polls.
Banda said the Bill (N.A.B. 71 of 2026) was a modern replacement for the colonial-era Public Order Act (POA), which had long been criticized for its use to stifle opposition.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Monday, Banda said the Bill defines a public gathering as an assembly of three or more people, a threshold he argues was too low for a country where community and conversation were part of daily life.
He said the Bill was a threat to freedom of association, assembly and still draconian.
“Under the proposed law, organizers must give at least five days’ notice before holding a gathering. Timeline will neutralize political expression during a fast-moving election cycle,” Banda said.
He noted that the Bill also granted authorized officers the power to restrict, move, or set conditions on gatherings, which some observers described as shifting the process from notification to de facto approval.
Banda restated that the Bill was a threat to freedom of association, assembly and still draconian, citing the potential for police intervention in indoor meetings.
“While the legislation provides exemptions for certain registered organizations like companies or NGOs, the broad definitions could allow intervention in private settings if they are deemed public by access or intent,” he said.
He warned that the state now had tools to monitor both digital invites and physical arrivals when combined with the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act.
Banda argued that if passed without significant amendment, the law would replace the POA with a new system of silence rather than expand democratic space.
He concluded that democracy thrived on the friction of ideas in the open air, not on “notices” and “police conditions.”
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