By KETRA KALUNGA and ADRIAN MWANZA
I AM not shaken that the police have summoned me for what my contacts say is in connection with a joint press briefing we held with other political parties, Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) leader, Sean Tembo has said.
And other political party leaders present at the briefing have vowed to be at the police headquarters today at 10:00 hours to offer solidarity to Mr. Tembo.
Mr. Tembo confirmed to the Daily Nation that he received a call from the police yesterday summoning him to appear at the police headquarters at 10:00 hours today.
“I am not scared that I have been summoned. We are opposition leaders in Africa, what do you expect? That is the kind of politics that is in Africa, isn’t it? Nothing has changed so I am not scared,” he said.
Meanwhile, National Democratic Congress (NDC) president Saboi Imboela has said there should be examinations for people being appointed to government to avoid regionalism in appointments.
She told journalists at the consortium’s briefing that there was marginalisation in the appointments being made by the new dawn government and that there was need to change this narrative.
Ms Imboela said that despite the UPND being voted by a majority of Zambians, they went ahead and only picked people from certain areas.
And PeP president Sean Tembo said the issue of the audio of Home Affairs permanent Secretary Joseph Akafumba and political advisor to the president Levy Ngoma, was an assault on democracy.
He said the audio directly implicated the head of state because his aide indicated that he received orders from him.
Mr Tembo said there was a clear denial from the people that were directly implicated in the audio.
And People’s Alliance for Change (PAC) president Andyford Banda said the ruling party was breaking the law with impunity.
He said even UPND youth chairperson Gilbert Liswaniso was threatening to beat up people who differed with the President.
“The UPND are creating a monster similar to what the PF created as they became pompous and untouchable,” he said.
New Heritage Party (NHP) president, Chishala Kateka who was at the same media briefing, said it’s unfortunate the UPND administration has allowed the same injustice they detested while in opposition, to happen to opposition political parties.
Ms. Kateka said in an interview that as opposition political parties, they wouldn’t relent in fighting for the people because if they don’t, nobody would fight for them.
And Ms Imboela said there was no need to harass Mr Tembo and call him to the police over flimsy charges.
She said the move was detrimental to the growth of democracy because there was nothing wrong with holding a meeting which was not inciting violence.
Ms Imboela said that it was shocking that Mr Tembo was the only one singled out when there were six other political party leaders at the media briefing.
Ms Imboela said that they would not be intimidated by any manoeuvres by the ruling party and would stand by the tenets of democracy.
Meanwhile, opposition parties have accused President Hakainde Hichilema of suppression and undermining them.
The consortium comprising seven political parties indicated that they would work as a unit to fight the injustices that were being experienced in the New Dawn regime.
Consortium member who is also DP president, Harry Kalaba during a press briefing at Southern Sun Ridgeway in Lusaka yesterday said that the alliance was formed to fight the injustice and they were not a pact.
