Wina Calls for Legislation to Curb Hate Speech

Vice President Inonge Wina has urged parliament to enact a law that criminalizes hate speech in Zambia.

And Leader of the Opposition in parliament Jack Mwiimbu accused government of tolerating hate speech peddled by pro-government voices whilst condemning the same behaviour from the opposition.

During the Vice President’s Question Time, Wina said political leaders were in the forefront promoting hate speech in the country forgetting that it was ordinary Zambians that would suffer the consequences.

“It is high time that parliament passes a law criminalizing hate speech. Currently the law is very weak to address hate speak and other utterances like tribal talk,” she said in response to Kabwe Central lawmaker Tutwa Nguliube who wanted to know if government was considering passing laws to prosecute hate speech.

“In other countries hate speech is a crime but here only to the extent that it is moral. It has led to war in other countries so politicians should act responsibly.”

And Mwiimbu is an apparent fight back hate speech was only condemned when it came from the opposition corner with government deafeningly silent when it was purveyed by their members.

But Wina said that government condemned hate speech wholly regardless of political affiliation.

Wina also told parliament that government was committed to the fight against corruption.

She said that civil servants that were being prosecuted for corruption were alleging that they were being persecuted on account of tribe and political affiliation.