Despite being illegally arrested for demonstrating against the dubious purchase of 42 Fire Tenders, Patriots for Economic Progress (PEP) leader Sean Enock Tembo (SET) says the party remains unshaken, saying nothing will stop it from exercising its democratic rights of protesting.
“As Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP), we wish to inform our members, supporters, well wishers and the general public at large, that we shall be carrying out a series of weekly demonstrations against the $42 million fire tender scandal commencing next week Wednesday, 11th October 2017 from 1200hrs to 1600hrs,” Tembo said.
He said the demonstrations will be held every week on Wednesdays for the next one (1) year, from 11th October 2017 until 10th October 2018, unless otherwise advised.
Tembo said the protesters will march peacefully, carrying placards from Woodlands Shopping Mall to State House and back to Woodlands Shopping Mall, using Independence Avenue, PeP will avail marshals to ensure tranquility and order.
Tembo said his party had wanted to issue a single notice to the Zambia Police Service for the one year duration of these weekly protests.
..”However, based on the meeting that i had with the Lusaka Province Commissioner of Police, Mr. Nelson Phiri this morning, it was mutually agreed that a fresh notice shall be issued by the party to the Zambia Police Service on a weekly basis, to cover the following week’s demonstrations,” the opposition leader said
He said as a law abiding political party and in compliance with section 5 subsection (4) of the Public Order Act, Chapter 113 of the Laws of Zambia, the PeP has since given the required notice to the Zambia Police Service for next weeks demonstrations, as attached hereto.
“We hereby call upon all Zambians who are aggrieved with this $42 million fire tender scandal, regardless of their political affiliations, to turn up in large numbers for next week’s demonstrations that will take place on Wednesday, 11th October 2017 from 1200hrs to 1600hrs starting at Woodlands Shopping Mall to State House and back to Woodland,” he said.