Some youths in Kamwala, Chilenje and Kabwata suburbs of Lusaka have threatened to join university students in street protests against the increasing cost of living in Zambia.
The young people have called all concerned residents to air their voices on the wrongs being perpetuated by the Patriotic Front (PF) government.
The youths said President Michael Sata had become arrogant and insensitive to the plight of the people whom he promised to serve well.
According to the youths interviewed in the townships, the Patrotic Front (PF) government was not concerned about the welfare of the people because the regime was pursuing programmes that did not accommodate the poor.
They said that it was in order to protest against an uncaring regime that had based its foundation on lies and deceit, while the people were dying.
The threat to demonstrate comes in the wake of governments’ decision to remove subsides on fuel and the staple food, maize.
The removal of subsidies has forced an increase in food prices and other essential commodities, which prompted riots at three major universities in Zambia. Students took to the streets at the University of Zambia great east toad campus, Copperbelt University and Mulungushi University where the learners demanded for the government to stop the removal of subsidies.
But the young people interviewed in Lusaka said they were ready to join protesting university students in pressing for an affordable livelihood.
“We are ready to jump on the bandwagon even if they arrest university students. It is not only the university students who are feeling the hardships, but all of youths. In any case, it is the young people who are feeling the pinch because there are no jobs and opportunities are being offered to PF cadres. We can join in the public protest to show Mr Sata that we are not happy. His threats will land on empty ears because the people are not happy out here,” said Pack Phiri from Kabwata Township.
Another youth Musepa Mambwe said he was ready to join the university students in public protest because the removal subsidies n fuel and maize was not meant to benefit the majority poor. He said Mr Sata and the PF must state that they had failed to run the government.
“We had subsides during the MMD, n fact during the late Mwanawasa and farmers did not get reduced inputs. We had subsidies during Rupiah Banda and infrastructure such as road, bridges and schools were being built. It is surprising that the PF and the old man Sata is failing to do these developments and now want to remove subsidies n order to champion future works,” he said.
A mobile telephone agent for one of the local service providers Mercy Luputa said it had become clear that the PF were failing to manage the economy. She said the PF had failed to respond to the needs of the young people and protests will continue because the people were being oppressed.
Mercy said she reasoned with university students who protested against the increasing cost of living in Zambia.
“Let them come and arrest all the young people for speaking out on the wrongs that are beng done by the government. This is a government that has lost popularity so early and we cannot wait to vote them out. They don’t want to listen to people who voted for them and since they have closed their ears, we can take to the streets because that is the language they want to understand,” she said.
Last week, 23 University of Zambia students were arrested and detained by the police following Michael Sata’s directive to Lusaka Province Commissioner of Police Joyce Kasosa to arrest and expel all protesting students.
However, Sata back peddled on his directive and ordered the release of the students following both local and international calls to allow for the free expression of speech.
Hitherto, police have maintained vigil at the universities where students protested and government officials, including Sata clam that opposition United Party for National development president Hakainde Hichilema had sponsored the demonstrations to make the PF regime unpopular.
However, Mr Hichilema has denied the allegations saying the students were protesting out of their own conviction following the recent hikes in the cost of food.
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