Zambians plan protests against fuel price hikes

A protest against the government’s move to hike fuel prices has been organised by some Zambians.

According to a message being circulated on social media, citizens have been advised to stay home, boycott buses or drive with their headlamps on full beam.

“Saturday – Boycott Buses, Stay At Home; Park Your Cars, Or Drive With Your Headlights On Full Beam! We can’t make it any easier than this. No police permit needed, no public gathering, no risk of arrest, just sit-at-home, hold on to your bus/fuel money for a day, write your protest poster and display it on social media. Protest Date: Saturday 6 October 2018, 06:00 hours to 18:00 hours, and to be repeated every Saturday if necessary, as a signal to government to register our displeasure! Spread the word, or stop crying. #NoFuelHike,” read one of the messages.

Government, through the Energy Regulation Board, announced a substantial fuel price increase to push a litre of petrol to K16.06 from K13.75 while diesel will now fetch for K14.65 from K12.01. Low sulphur diesel has jumped to K16.94 per litre from K14.30.

Meanwhile, former Sinda member of parliament Levy Ngoma said the Patriotic Front has caused citizens “more than enough pain”.

“Don’t say you have not heard the cries from all corners of Zambia! Where is the K5 per liter fuel? Only a few days ago you informed the nation that there wasn’t going to be any increase in fuel prices soon,” he said.
“Typical of your DNA, full of deception, you are at it again, you have swallowed your own vomit by hitting Zambians with a huge increase in fuel prices. Does it mean what you have swallowed in Fuel levy, Borehore Tax, Carbon Tax, Bus loading fees, Toll Gate fees, Medical Insurance Levy, TV Levy, Internet Tax are all not enough to satisfy your greed?”

He added that the aged in society had been tossed into poverty after the misuse of Social Cash Transfer funds and the wage freeze was hitting the working class hard.

“Do you want the dead to begin rotting before they are buried because families of the deceased have less money to pay for those huge burial permit and site fees? Social Cash Transfer for the aged you have stolen and chewed, leaving the aged and vulnerable masses to continue wallowing in abject poverty,” said Ngoma.

“Salary increments for doctors, nurses, teachers, policemen and other government workers have been put on austerity zone ‘little or no increment’. On the contrary, the salary for the ‘humble leader’ and his appointees have gone up! What more do you want from wailing citizens in pain?”

Source: The Mast