PEP files lawsuit in High Court against govt

Sean Enock Tembo

Patriots for Economic Progress (PEP) President Sean Tembo has filed a lawsuit in the Lusaka High Court against government for violating Article 20 and 21 of the republican constitution.

Mr.Tembo says this is in relation to the freedoms and rights of association, expression and assembly.

He says he’s challenging the decision of the police service to cancel his party’s 13^th protest against the purchase of 42 fire tenders at a cost of US$42 million which was scheduled to be held on 7^thMarch,2018.

He says the police claimed that in addition to complying with the provisions of the public order Act, the party had to further comply with provisions of local government Act in order to proceed with the protest.

Mr. Tembo says upon the perusal of the said Local Government Act, they noted that it did not even contain any provision on the basis of which the police could cancel their protest.

He states that the party believes that the Zambia Police Service acted maliciously by cancelling their lawful fire tender protest and is therefore asking the court for a declaration.