Opposition Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) has expressed solidarity for the University of Zambia students who were this morning arrested for protesting against the removal of the maize and fuel subsidies by government.
The arrest of the undisclosed number of protesting students was a direct order by president Sata who also called for their expulsion from the University.
Director of Communications in the Office of the MMD President Muhabi Lungu has charged that the president had no right to order the arrest of students who merely expressly their democratic right.
Speaking in an interview with Qfm Mr.Lungu noted that such a directive by President Sata is yet another clear indication of the direction Zambia is taking in turning into a country ruled under dictatorship.
Mr.Lungu wondered why the President did not react in the same when earlier the same University student demonstrates in favor of the government’s decision to lift the maize and fuel subsidies.
He said that people in the country should be allowed to peacefully exercise their democratic rights as Zambia is a democracy.
The Director of Communications in the Office of the MMD President also urged president Sata to realize that Zambia is a country that is formed under tenets of democracy.
Mr Muhabi Lungu, please stop inciting UNZA students ,no ruling govt can allow students to protest like with wild behaviour. Dont forget you were in forefront during UNIP rule and you were trained by our beloved K.K. and your behaviour is very unexpected. Muhabi don’t be fooled by HH and Nevers as they have nothing to offer Zambians . These two are finished politicians.
MMD just had to say something! imbeciles, ingrates, imbwa
But what’s wrong with what MMD said Nubian for you to shower insults?
How about them maiming and killing innocent civilians in western province.
mmd is still breathing? This boy muhabi or ist mwabi, why does he enjoy the company of losers all the time? Who told this loser boy, the president has no right?
These chaps have forgotten how they used to use live ammunition on UNZA students as well as detaining students in football stadia. This chap is really a disgrace to the Lungu family, who mostly are very reasonable and rational people. Bubile and Mzama are 10 times better than this chap! Rock on my Nubian Princess! Let’s restore some sanity to our lovely land!
president reacted to the riots by students not demonstration.am sure their is a big difference between the two.
It is the way law enforcing officers handle situations which leads to riots.We need to change the training program for the police.Someone goes for training for 6 months,3 months shorter than a Woman’s normal pregnancy. Chansoni
chacine you are MMD member, who told you that democracy is doing whatever you want to do. In democratic nation there should be order, because disordering will take us to9 anarchy!! Thanks
Typical government worshipping primitivity! People have the right to demonstrate. The problem in Zambia is that when there’s a demonstration, the ZP always intervenes not to ensure orderly demos but to violently stop them. This is what leads to riots.
Interesting. How do you resort to rioting even for the wrong reasons. They could have waited to hear the reason behind the removal.
MMD should be the last to comment on this one..What did these imbeciles do to the Lozis when they rioted.. The fact is even among the oppositions no one seem to be a promising messiah..For example HH or Nevers Mumba are only popular because Govnt put them in public domain by arresting them on simple offenses and responding to their silly comments..Lets talk about policies ,yes we know every one is going to talk about medicine in hospitals ,roads ,salaries etc..no one talks about how we can produce medicine e.g We have a long way Zambians..
Subsidies are generally lousy. Removal is good for economy so long savings go to social infrastructure and the like
GRZ cannot tolerate anarchy sorry guys. We know HH was promised 10 Hummers by the USA but this is not Katanga 1950s days. Rioting is against the law, RB would have been shooting the students dead by now. At least they should spell the banners correctly before getting drunk instead of writing “you should listen us”
I am reincarnated and back 4 good.
I can sence ‘a state of disbelief’ in many government supporters who are regular bloggers here.
Are you shell shocked?
Do you have relations / children attending these institutes of higher learning?
Are you so docile that you like dictators to tell you what to do?
Are you allowed to express your displeasures of certain government policies using democratic means such as peaceful demonstrations without retribution?
Do you have freedom of speech?
Are you immensely disturbed or confused? ……ETC….. not (End of Thinking Capacity)
If you have answered yes to one or more of the above questions then you have DIC (Docile Inferiority Complex) If you have answered ‘NO’ to more than 2 questions above; you have full-blown DIC.
~~…
Why is it that Zambian politicians like parroting lies, riots and anarchy have no part in democracy. Just because Amsterdam has said it then it is true is wrong way to go about issues. A year ago, here in the UK students demonstrated against introduction of university fees and it got out of hand, the students were arrested and prosecuted and some are still in jail! I never heard of anyone or any country complaining about the students democratic rights or UK’s human rights! Property is getting vandalised and someone what to use democracy as an excuse, law and order should prevail. Under MMD, people died in Mongu and now they are in opposition they think people have forgotten how their brand of democracy worked. The president is the commander-in-chief, it is his duty to maintain peace!.
And also protect other innocent struggling Zambians from over zealous students with no regard for others. Law must be respected all the times. As for the MMD, they actually killed and maimed innocent civilians in Mongu. We would be talking dead bodies on the streets if they were still in power.
If subsidies are good for the country,then reducing the Executive arm of Government(ministers and deputies) by more than half is equally important. Its tightening of belts,right? Then every coin that would go to unnecessary by elections must be redirected to poverty reduction. The “90 days don’t kubeba” goal posts have been shifted isn’t? Then Government must be seen to reduce expenditure on its top heavy outfit. I think that’s the message I saw from the demos of the UNZA students.
You have interpreted for them. Those ingrates can’t reason like that if they can’t even write proper messages on their placards and banners. For them, subsidies on fuel and maize must stay! Because the poor will die of hunger. That is all they said baba.
You can be right about the issue of so many deputy ministers. But we are supposed to condemn that and not praise or advocate another wrong thing; having subsidies when this vast country is in dire need of infrastructure to unlock the potential in outlying areas. This is what will bring about equitable distribution of goods and services and aid THE DECENTRALISATION agenda!
ba muhabi lungu u just had to say something which demoncratic right?? ,dont mislead people ati ba monk kanshi nishi tabakwata vibe ati monk fikopo filya the only way is to wait for 2016 and vote PF out simple logic why even demonstrate…arrest them bamabala..
I DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE PEACEFUL DEMO BUT THE POLICE BECAME VIOLENT ALARMING THE SITUATION, I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN RIGHT FOR THE PRESIDENT TO GO TALK TO THE PEOPLE.. THE COST OF LIVING HAS JUST GONE UP WITHIN A BLINK OF AN EYE AND THE SO CALLED POOR ARE THE MAJORITY AFFECTED. THINK TWICE! GOD BLESS ZAMBIA…..
All these supporting this rubbish government are relatives of the parasites in power. Just go at any Zambian foreign mission and see the overemployment that is there. The Zambian mission in Namibia used to have a staff of 15. Today it has 100 employees. This why PF is raising prices just to pay for these parasites. These are the same parasites that are yapping pro government nonsense on this site! Stop living on taxpayers money, you stinking maggots!
Stop ubufi u above. Have those thugs at unza have a right 2 disturb de peace and destroy de property of innocent citizens?Useless Lungu.The President has de mandete 2 protect de peace and property in de nation.No free things in Zambia .Work !
It is nosensical to have an educated fratenit in this nation that can’t see the logic behand the removal of subsidies. Money does not rain from heaven or sky. lt has to b made thru among many ways: save some money for new investiments.Bravo pf!
It seems lots of felaz are supporting subsidy removal and condemning students for demos.Perhaps we sit back wait for the impact of the removal to hit the common man!!!
Lets hope that wont be to little too late to correct the situ’.
Assured of 3 very good meals daily,subsidy or not,i sign out.
….they should start by giving you an education – Osmore but at this rate, it might be too late for you!
But how is you relative going to get an education when you are opposing the removal of subsidy which could lead to your village having its own university?
The problem with Zambians is that they want to live like they a developed nation. They want to have cheap things, free things and bling while seated. This calls for work in order to open up this vast country by improving and expanding the infrastructure. That is the only sure way we are going to move to another level. We can’t heap all our expenditure money on subsidies when we are in need of many other things. If the government borrows, you condemn, it shifts money from this to that you condemn, they increase taxes you condemn but you cry for good roads, more schools etc. SHOULD GOVT PRINT MONEY?
Luasaka times is the most un impressive online publication in terms of English grammar. Extremely very poor. Sub standard in terms of English language.
Osmore you have to think out side the box sometimes!!!! have you seen the unnecessary positions that have been created in government and how the government increased the wages of the civil servants without determining the source of the constant revenue that they are going to use to by paying the civil servants. are you sure that these guys are going to redirect the money to development projects when they have no development plans or even a strategy?? the government can not operate like a chimbwi no plan with tax payers money!!!!!!! and what have they done to reduce the impact if this move has been done in the interest of the pipo?
And let’s not forget Sata’s own 100% salary increase….. followed two weeks later by another 100% salary increase!!
I agree with Napapa ati Mwandini, I sometimes wonder whether they have an editorial team to make sure that the publication qualifies both in grammar and semantics.
We are shying away from real matters at hand here. Where is the money from our copper and other minerals this country is blessed with going? Unless we sort out that issue our country and her people are doomed!
We do not have a social welfare system in Zambia to take care of the under privileged and my guess is that giving subsidies on the basic needs such as food and housing is not a bad thing after all. Trim down the cabinet, do away with political prostitution. MPs should not be in bed with HH one day and want to wake up in Sata’s bed the next day. You are diluting the opposition and rendering democracy dead and buried.
The old political generation should now pack their bags and leave the scene. You have had it your wrong way for far too long. 50yrs of mis-management! I will rule…
UNZA STUDENTS HAVE BECOME A NUISANCE TO ZAMBIAN SOCIETY AND TO THEMSELVES. I AM AN ACADEMIC HERE AT UNZA AND HAVE OBSERVED WITH DISMAY THE SICKENING TENDENCY OF TODAY’S UNZA STUDENTS TO ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING TO MAKE NOISE ABOUT AND DISTURB CLASSES EVERY SEMESTER. ONE GETS THEY IMPRESSION THEY COME TO UNZA JUST TO GET HARD-EARNED TAX PAYERS MONEY AND DO NOT WANT TO LEARN. WE ARE IN THE THIRD WEEK OF CLASSES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER AND MOST OF THEM HAVE NOT EVEN STARTED COMING FOR LECTURES. YET THEY SPEND MORE TIME AT THE STUDENTS CENTER DRINKING AND IN TOWN LOOKING FOR CLOTHES AND HUMAN HAIR. WHAT KIND OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ARE THESE, IF I MAY ASK.
Was it a peceful protest Mr Lungu? Were those marching in solidarity RIOTING? Those so called student are semi illiterates who can’t even spell words properly on their PLACARDS. Do you expect proper understanding of issues and anlysis from such?
Bakaamba ba Muhabi Lungu you are always behind. Your decisions and actions are not well calculated and you don’t the times well.
Was it a peaceful protest Mr Lungu? Were those marching in solidarity RIOTING? Those so called student are semi illiterates who can’t even spell words properly on their PLACARDS. Do you expect proper understanding of issues and anlysis from such?
Bakaamba ba Muhabi Lungu you are always behind. Your decisions and actions are not well calculated and you don’t the times well.
You have interpreted for them. Those ingrates can’t reason like that if they can’t even write proper messages on their placards and banners. For them, subsidies on fuel and maize must stay! Because the poor will die of hunger. That is all they said baba.
You can be right about the issue of so many deputy ministers. But we are supposed to condemn that and not praise or advocate another wrong thing; having subsidies when this vast country is in dire need of infrastructure to unlock the potential in outlying areas. This is what will bring about equitable distribution of goods and services and aid THE DECENTRALISATION agenda!
The problem with Zambians is that they want to live like they a developed nation. They want to have cheap things, free things and bling while seated. This calls for work in order to open up this vast country by improving and expanding the infrastructure. That is the only sure way we are going to move to another level. We can’t heap all our expenditure money on subsidies when we are in need of many other things. If the government borrows, you condemn, it shifts money from this to that you condemn, they increase taxes you condemn but you cry for good roads, more schools etc. SHOULD GOVT PRINT MONEY?