The PF has called on students from the University of Zambia and the Copperbelt University to avoid being used by desperate opposition party leaders.

In a statement the Party’s Chairperson for Labour and Social Security Joyce Nonde Simukoko said students are suppose to be the cream and pride of the nation who should not fall play to selfish politicians who want to use them to achieve their ambitions.

She said students should be mindful of their background as the same politicians who use them have children who do not even go to the same universities but are learning abroad.

Below is a full statement issued to the media by the ruling party.

PATRIOTIC FRONT (PF) CHAIRPERSON FOR LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS KEY TO SOLVING UNEMPLOYMENT IN ZAMBIA

The Patriotic Front Government, through the Ministry of Higher Education, in collaboration with the University of Zambia (UNZA) and Copperbelt University (CBU) managements, has just reopened both Universities following their closure 3 months ago due to riotous Behaviour by students which led to damage to public and private property.

As PF Chairperson for Labour, I wish to call on students at both universities to avoid being used as tools of destruction by desperate opposition party elements especially in this election year. When intelligent students, the cream and pride of the nation, who are supposed to be focusing on their education, are manipulated and used as instruments of destruction by politicians to achieve their selfish political ambitions, the result will be more closures of the universities leading to delays in students completing their studies.

What UNZA and CBU students must realize is that those politicians encouraging them to conduct riotous behaviour have children who are studying in private universities or abroad, so they don’t mind the damage and closures.

Students must realize that time wasted due to delays in their graduation is never recovered, and working life is very short. It is an opportunity cost which should have been wisely used by these university graduates to contribute to the productivity and economic growth of the country. The longer students take to graduate from university the more they deprive the job market of their essential skills.

I also urge university and college students at all higher learning institutions to be more innovative and creative, and be the future drivers of founding start-up companies to create more employment opportunities. Some of the biggest global corporations today were founded by university students even before they could graduate from university – for example Apple by the late Steve Jobs, Microsoft by Bill Gates, Google by Larry page and Sergei Brin etc. So, instead of our intelligent students being used as political tools, I urge them to be innovative, creative and entrepreneurial and contribute to the economic growth and development of Zambia.

Finally, students must also realize that even when public workers, who are tax payers paying for students at universities, have experienced delays in getting their salaries in the past they have not resorted to riotous behaviour and looting. Students must emulate these gallant public service workers since they will be joining the job market soon.

MRS JOYCE NONDE SIMUKOKO,
PATRIOTIC FRONT (PF) CHAIRPERSON FOR LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE

Zambian Voice Executive Director Chilufya Tayali has called on President Lungu to immediately fire Agricultural Minister Given Lubinda together with his cohorts Permanent Secretary in the same Ministry and FRA Director Chola Kafwabulula on grounds of corrupt activities involving FRA maize .

Speaking at a media briefing Mr Tayali said the maize and mealie meal shortages which has lead to the hike in prices of the commodity was due to the massive corruption involving the Minister of Agriculture, his Permanent Secretary and the Executive Director of the FRA who have amassed so much wealth at the expense of poor Zambians.

He said the three will only remain in their offices if the President was part of the activities that they have been doing because he had over whelming evidence of the corruption that has been taking place at the FRA involving the named individuals which he will put in public domain.

He said it was not the first time that concerns were being raised on the corrupt activities of Mr Lubinda as his organization raised the issue on the importation of Fertilizer from Dubai though they had no evidence which led to the issue dying a natural death.

He explained that this time his organization has documented evidence which should compel the three to either resign on moral grounds or the President relieving them of their duties with immediate effect.

He further said the three had caused the increase in the prices of mealie meal through their dubious dealings at FRA where he said they had been charging an extra K1000 per tonne on maize purchases form FRA shades.

He said so far they three have amassed over 720million from the sales money he said belonged to the Zambian people who have been buying mealie meal at unaffordable prices.

He said accusations that the opposition was causing panic buying was hogwash as people did not have enough money to buy mealie meal in bulk and store in their kitchens.

He said Mr Lubinda is now living in house as big as a church while the Director at FRA was had 4 customized vehicles wealth K4.5 million less than two years from driving a Mark 2 Chaser when he was employed by Mutembo Nchinto.

He further castigated the ACC for not doing their job saying they were an inept and impotent institution which was not doing its job.

He said if his organization could investigate such massive corruption at such a big institution then ACC could do more but that they were not doing what they were set up to do.

He said people were willing to provide information and evidence but needed to see political will from leaders.

Further Mr Tayali advised the PF not to count on Mr Lubinda because the money he has been stealing through corrupt activities is intended for the financing of his own political party.

He said Mr Lubinda has ambitions of forming his own political party so that he can run as a presidential candidate.

Vice-President Inonge Wina is hopeful that Zambians will know the modalities of the referendum by next week.

Speaking when she addressed Zambians living in the United Kingdom in London during a dinner that was organised in her honour by the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom His Excellency Mr. Muyeba Chikonde at the Zambia House on Saturday,Mrs Wina told Zambians that the August elections will run alongside with the Referendum.

She said the referendum question was being formulated by the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the Ministry of Justice, and the question will determine whether the Bill of Rights will be included in the amended constitution.

“I believe that some of you have already received information on how these elections will be held including the fact that the Referendum will be part of the election process. It means that when Zambians vote they will vote for their President, they will vote for the running mate together with their President, they will vote for their Members of Parliament, they will vote for their councillors, they will also vote in the referendum. The referendum will be a “yes or no” question because in a referendum you are only asked whether you agree or not,” she said.

The Vice President said the Bill of Rights could not be passed with the amended constitution as the original constitution stipulated having a referendum in order to adopt the Bill of Rights.

She said it was not possible to set aside the referendum as the government could not hold two elections within a years due to financial constraints, therefore the decision to hold the referendum and elections simultaneously.

“We have to teach our people on the modalities of exercising their democratic duty, it will take time although, we only have few months to go but i hope by next week, the referendum question would have been dealt with and people will know, how they are going to respond to that issue,” she said.

And High Commissioner Chikonde called on Zambians in the UK to always engage the mission in efforts aimed at safeguarding Zambia’s interests in Britain.

Mr. Chikonde reported that the UK/Zambia Investment forum which Her Honour the Vice President officiated in London last year had continued to bear fruits as evidenced by UK dignitaries who had visited Zambia such as, the Lord mayor of London who visited with a business delegation, Baroness Lynda Chalker, the former minister who is currently Director of Africa matters to form linkages between UK and Zambian businesses, a 14 member delegation composing of six British Members of Parliament who participated in the 134th International Parliamentary Union (IPU) and six companies that registered and traveled to Zambia for the 5th edition of the Zambia International Investment forum (ZIIF) which ended last week.

“Your passion and dedication to our country under the leadership of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu continues to inspires us all,” he said.