SPEECH BY ENG. CHANDA KATOTOBWE ON BEING ELECTED AS PRESIDENT FOR PATRIOTS FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS (PeP) AT A GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE PARTY, HELD AT PALM VALLEY RESORT, LUSAKA ON 12th JUNE 2026
Fellow patriots, our political position and journey now and the years ahead are very much like religious values found in many societies of the world. This is the case because certain issues that shape religion are the same issues that shape our politics ideally.
In the world today, money, environment, gender issues, and many other issues shape both religious and political values even if the values were formed many years ago.
This is precisely the case because religious groups have ethics, just like politics must have ethics. I have been informed that the Buddist faith has ethics based on enlightenment and non violence in society. I have equally been informed that the Islamic faith has ethics based on moral conduct and good character. I know that the Christian faith has ethics based on moral teachings such as virtues and morality centred on a series of rules and principles which include laws to guide society.
Fellow patriots, these religious ethics and values are very close or similar to the practice of politics. Politics has ethics and values as mentioned. Notably, the practice of making moral judgements about political actions. Our society pays a lot of attention to moral judgements about political actions because they lead to cooperation in our society. This cooperation
brings about development when guided correctly.
Because of the desperate need for good welfare and development, our society expects political leaders to exercise responsibility, integrity and empathy among other essential values.
Being a Christian nation, we all have a good understanding of the bible. The story of Joseph as a young man who was sent by his father from Hebron to Shechem to see if all was well with his brothers who were grazing their flocks in a place far away is well known.
The key here is empathy which is lacking in our political space today. Some of our politicians have no empathy and that is why many of our citizens are living in abject poverty. Because of lack of empathy by politicians, seventy eight per cent of our citizens are poor. Due to lack of empathy, politicians do not focus their attention and efforts to provide solutions to the problems of our people, therefore these problems continue to grow daily.
As President for Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP), I can confidently say that my background in the Patriotic Front (PF) party of the late Presidents Micheal Chilufya Sata and Edgar Chagwa Lungu who cared for the well being of our people especially addressing the poverty levels focussed on the need to tackle poverty in our society through affirmative action.
Now that I am the leader of PeP, my main preoccupation will be:
To grow the party from strength to strength;
To prepare the party for future elections; and
To entrench our party in the development of policies and programmes that will end poverty in our country by ushering a big national industrial base backed by research and development once in government.
PeP will be the Tree with a network Roots, Flowers and Fruits. Our fruits of success will be shared equally in the country. This is the foundation through which nations develop with joy.
Fellow members of our party, let us look ahead because we have a vision of productivity and developing Zambia through revenue accumulation from our God given natural resources and the national industrial base crusade backed up by research and development.
In normal circumstances, we would be campaigning to become President of Zambia like our colleagues are doing. Unfortunately, our Presidential bid was brutally blocked.
We all know the Government led by President Hakainde Hichilema through the Registrar of Societies recategorised the registration of PeP to the category of a religious organisation whose main activities are ministry and preaching. Furthermore, they changed the Secretary General of Party and amended the record with two Secretary Generals of the Party and of these two, they later appointed a deceased person as Secretary General of the Party.
That is why I said our politics lacks empathy and responsibility, otherwise, if these really believed in God, why would they disturb a person even the grave.
Nevertheless, we are geared to build our party to greater strength. Moving together, we shall succeed.
Let me conclude by thanking my brother Mr. Sean Tembo for the great sacrifice he made to relinquish his position as Presidential candidate literally for me. As President, he was already at the position of privilege which many people can not give away.
I equally express my profound gratitude to you the delegates for putting your trust in me and be assured that I will do my best. Let me also thank all the citizens out there who continue to stand with us in solidarity during this period of injustice and the pain inflicted on our innocent candidates country wide following the crude blocking of our Presidential bid in the general elections of 13th August, 2026.
May God bless you.
May God bless the Patriots for Economic Progress.
May God bless the Republic of Zambia.
Issued by:
Eng. Chanda A.B. Katotobwe
Party President
Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP)
Lusaka, Zambia