ALL CITIZENS SHOULD STRIVE TO UNITE THE COUNTRY.
7/6/2023
Every patriotic Zambian agrees that the country is bigger than all of us, and all must strive to unite and not divide the country.
We say so because of the prevailing war of words, which hold the potential to fan chaos and confusion in the country.
We do not expect citizens to criticize anything and everything government says and does, especially that of obvious benefit to the citizens such as increased CDF from a paltry K1.6 million to a whooping K28 million – a giant step towards devolution of power to the local people to own and drive their own development agenda.
More so, the reintroduced free education policy affords parents/guardians an opportunity to send their children to school who previously could not do so.
Indeed, that child in Kaputa, Shangombo, Dundumwezi and other rural outposts, who could not afford to go to school, can now proudly go to school because of the reintroduced free education policy.
I’m a proud beneficiary of the nation’s late founding father Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s free education policy that enabled me, a child from a humble background to get an education.
We also expect the Church and other religious bodies to be non partisan, and work with the government of the day, and to continue complementing government efforts to improve citizens’ welfare, and providing spiritual guidance and timely wise counsel to government and citizens.
We urge politicians across the political divide to engage in issue-based discourse devoid of uncouth and unpalatable language.
However, we expect them to engage government in a face to face dialogue in an effort to find lasting solutions to many critical issues affecting the nation.
Equally, we expect government to accommodate divergent views meant to help them deliver effectively on their mandate to improve citizens’ welfare.
In view of the foregoing, we urge all citizens to refrain from issuing provocative and inflammatory statements that hold the potential to divide the nation and disrupt the peace we enjoy, instead, we expect citizens to freely but responsibly express their views with utmost concern, and respect for Zambians’ collective intelligence as they gave UPND mandate to govern their affairs for a five-year term.
Most of all, we expect all the stakeholders to the governance of the democratic Zambia to give the New Dawn Administration, time and space for them to be able to adequately tackle the challenges the country is grappling with, including the high cost of living.
STATEMENT ISSUED BY:
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER.
SPUKI MULEMWA