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—Kabwe District Commissioner, Patrick Chishala has commended students at Nkhurumah University for exhibiting maturity and choosing not to protest over the removal of subsidy on some goods and services.
Mr Chishala, who has condemned protests by the University of Zambia and Mulungushi University Students over the matter, said he is happy that there are no protests at Nkhurumah University.
He said this when he visited the institution to explain to the students the removal of subsidy on food and fuel, yesterday.
He said it is not right for students to resort to riots whenever they disagree with government decisions because riots damage property of innocent Zambians as well as the property at the institution.
The District Commissioner said it is better for students to exhibit responsibility and maturity and complain in an acceptable manner to the concerned authorities.
He, however, maintained that government shall not rescind its decision over the matter because the measures will enable the government to channel critical resources to poor citizens.
He added that such changes are necessary because it is impossible for real economic and well-distributed growth to occur in an environment where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
Mr Chishala further observed that the Republican President, Michael Sata’s removal of the subsidies will ensure that more finances are available and guarantee job creation as well as the development of infrastructure in the country.
But students at Nkhurumah University have advised government to consider seeking dialogue with the opposition leaders and put a stop to the unrelenting by-elections if it has no hand in the defections.
They said Zambians have nothing against the removal of subsidies if the intention is to save and channel the savings to developmental projects.
They, however, expressed worry that the process will not benefit the majority poor Zambians if the government does not intervene in the continued defections by opposition members of parliament.
They said if government is interested in saving funds to ensure development in the country, it should start by barring unnecessary defections instead of allowing by-elections to increase numbers at the expense of tax-payers money.
They further advised opposition Members of Parliament to consider their fellow Zambians who make huge sacrifices in the hope of developing the country before deciding to defect.
The students said while they agree that it is constitutional for Members of Parliament to defect to any party of their choice, they also feel that the MPs have a responsibility to consult and bear with their voters before defecting.
They said if anyone must sacrifice at this stage it is the MPs and the politicians in both the ruling and opposition parties because the Zambians already made a lot of sacrifice during the elections.
