People are expressing their discontent with PF through protests, not incitement, says Mwanakampwe

UPND Central Province youth chairman Milner Mwanakampwe says it is irational for the PF government to suggest that Hakainde Hichilema is inciting citizens to engage in riotous behaviour.

Mwanakampwe said the PF government should not blame Hichilema for recent riotss in the country. He explained that the riots that were recently witnessed at UNZA where a female student died of suffocation from teargas and on the Copperbelt were indications that Zambians were not happy with certain decisions being made by the current PF regime.

“Suggestions by the Patriotic Front government that UPND president Hakainde Hichilema is the one that has been inciting citizens to engage in riotous behaviour are irrational. The recent riots at the University of Zambia and in selected districts on the Copperbelt Province should not be blamed on Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND. The Zambian people are independent thinkers who have been reacting to certain decisions being made by the current PF government,” Mwanakampwe said in an interview.

“The recent riots at UNZA and on the Copperbelt are just indications that majority Zambians are not happy with certain decisions being made by the current PF regime. This should send a signal to the PF government that Zambians are angry and are venting their anger on the current PF regime. The PF promised to lower taxes and create jobs for the local people but these things have not been forthcoming. As a result people are expressing their discontent through protests and riots. And the PF government should not blame leaders from opposition political parties over their failure to deliver on campaign promises.”

And Mwanakampwe said the riots that were witnessed on the Copperbelt emanated from government’s decision to list ZAFFICO on the Lusaka Stock Exchange. He explained that the earlier decision to sell of  ZAFFICO houses to Chinese mine for sitting tenants was also a contributing factor to the riots that were witnessed in Kitwe.

“It is not a secret that houses belonging to the ZAFFICO that were occupied by sitting tenants were sold to some Chinese contractors at a cost of $270,000. And the moment minister Dora Siliya informed the nation that government was going to list ZAFFICO on the Lusaka Stock Exchange, people became suspicious because the Chinese are the ones with a lot of money in this country and are capable of buying majority chares in ZAFFICO. As a result, there has been apprehension among citizens about the future of ZAFFICO,” said Mwanakampwe. “And so the riots on the Copperbelt emanated from the decision taken by the PF government to list ZAFICO on the Lusaka Stock Exchange.”

Mwanakampwe further charged that it was irrational for the PF leadership to suggest that Hichilema wanted to assume government by engaging in illegalities.

“No one would want to assume political power or government through illegalities. We therefore find it irrational for the PF leadership to suggest that Hakainde Hichilema wants to assume power by engaging in acts of violence or illegalities. And the fact the PF leadership has continued to talk about Hakainde Hichilema simply means that the opposition leader is in charge of the country,” added Mwanakampwe.

Source: The Mast