The Alliance for Good Governance (AGG) has called on President Michael Sata and his government to stop the barbaric attacks by the Patriotic Front cadres and thugs on innocent citizens expressing divergent views.
At a press briefing today, AGG spokesperson Guess Nyirenda said if those in authority and the police cannot protect the citizens, they may resort to fight back and cause bloodshed in our peaceful country.
“This kind of breakdown in the rule of law is unacceptable. We call on all citizens to denounce this kind of governance,” he said.
Nyirenda said they have achieved some progress during the Black Friday campaign, a month since it was launched by the consortium of 12 civil society organisations.
“As you may be all aware, when government abruptly removed subsidies on fuel and maize product, there were no signs of explanation or engagement in dialogue with the ordinary people.
“We are happy to report that since the Black Friday campaign started and realizing that it was spreading like wild fires, the president first called for a cabinet meeting where he tasked the ministers to be disciples of subsidies removal and preach the infamous and ‘citizens killing’ decision to all corners of the country.
“The ministers have spread throughout the country spending money and making allowances defending the decision which they themselves do not believe in thereby leaving a trail of confusions in the people they talk to,” Nyirenda said.
He said at the time of removal of subsidies on agricultural products, there was no mention of maintaining agricultural production, but that because of the Black Friday campaign, government has announced the retention of subsidies on fertilizer and input for small scale farmers.
Nyirenda reiterate that government should suspend the policy to remove fuel and maize subsides and come up with ways of ameliorating the sufferings of the majority poor ordinary people in rural areas.
“Currently, for one to travel to Kasama, northern province, about 850km away from Lusaka, one has to spend Kkr380 a round trip from Kr280, while Zambezi is now Kr 560 a round trip from Kr440.
“Mealie-meal is now at Kr85 for a 25kg breakfast in Zambezi and Mwinilunga. Do we then expect better lives for our rural mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters who are at the same time being faced with acute food shortages due to crop failure in about 44 districts of this nation?
“These are the same areas where it is said that malnutrition is high among the children,” he said.
Nyirenda said government should quickly find a better mechanism to subsidise the lives of the poor so as to conform the ministers and other government officials who are enjoying subsidized lives.
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