KANYAMA SP LEADER WARNS UPND FUEL CUTS ARE DECEPTIVE

KANYAMA SP LEADER WARNS UPND FUEL CUTS ARE DECEPTIVE

…reechoes need for opposition unity

Lusaka… Thursday May 1, 2025 – Socialist Party (SP) Kanyama Constituency Chairperson Brighton Bilumba has said the UPND government is incapable of reducing the cost of living for Zambians despite the Energy Regulation Board’s (ERB) recent announcement of reduced fuel prices.

In a statement issued following a constituency meeting held at the party’s Kanyama office, Bilumba said the reductions—K27.38 for diesel and K32.14 for petrol—do little to address the economic hardship Zambians are facing.

He pointed out that when the UPND took office in August 2021, fuel was priced significantly lower, with petrol at K17.62 and diesel at K15.59 under the Patriotic Front government.

“These are not reductions worth celebrating,” Mr Bilumba said.

“Even after this so-called drop, fuel is still almost double what the UPND found. What we are witnessing is a government out of touch with the daily struggles of ordinary citizens.”

He attributed the sustained high prices to the government’s decision to remove fuel subsidies in December 2021 as part of International Monetary Fund (IMF) reform conditions, a move he says has had devastating consequences for the poor.

“The cost of mealie meal, transport, and other basic necessities has gone up. The burden has been shifted squarely onto the shoulders of the masses, while the leadership continues to praise itself,” he charged.

Mr Bilumba also used the occasion to call for stronger unity among opposition parties, noting that recent divisions have handed unnecessary victories to the ruling party in several constituencies.

“The people are watching. They are tired of fragmented efforts that weaken the fight for justice,” he said.

“We must rally behind the united opposition front and fully support the decision to field one candidate in the upcoming Lumezi by-election. This is not the time for ego or individual ambition.”

He urged fellow opposition leaders to embrace discipline, unity, and a shared commitment to serve the people with integrity, warning that without a coordinated front, the struggle for equity and social justice will remain stalled.

“The UPND has shown it is either unwilling or unable to lighten the load of the poor. It is our responsibility to build a movement rooted in truth and solidarity—starting from the grassroots,” said Mr Bilumba.

He concluded by affirming the Socialist Party’s commitment to working with like-minded forces to deliver a “people-centered” alternative to the current administration.