Africa-Press – Zambia. “Don’t fire 327 Indeni workers because of IMF”
…they have families that depend on them, begs Mwamba Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba wrote
The government of President Hakainde Hichilema must exercise maximum restraint and halt plans to sack 327 employees from Indeni Refinery because of the deep misery the action will cause on immediate and extended families of the affected workers.
“There must be a better way to work around the Indeni issues than lay off 327 Zambians with families that depend on them just because the IMF said so.”
Ambassador Mwamba suggested: “instead of paying US$500 million to middlemen to import fuel annually, government only needs about US$90 million when it uses Indeni”.
Mr Mwamba, the former Permanent Representative of Zambia to the Africa Union and Ambassador to South Africa urged the Hichilema government to “do the math” and see how many Zambians would suffer if 327 Zambians in Ndola were sacked at Indeni as a result of planned restructuring of the company, as prescribed by the IMF.
In Zambia, a working person supports about 10 other extended family members, 327 sacked family members equals to about 3270 delinquents if the Hichilema government proceeds with plans to shut restructure Indeni.
FISP PLANS CHECKED Ambassador Mwamba said plans by the UPND government to restructure FISP or the Fertiliser Input Support Programme will reduce agriculture production and induce poverty FUEL SUBSIDIES TO SPIKE PRICES AND COST OF LIVING
Ambassador Mwamba cautioned Zambians brace for higher fuel and food prices after 15th January once government re imposes taxes of fuel. He said food prices and the cost of living shall rise. FREE EDUCATION IN ZAMBIA
Ambassador Mwamba said it was a “pity that many Zambians don’t know that Zambia has enjoyed free education in primary school since the MMD government days. He challenged government to refute this fact.
He also becried the “paltry” 10 per cent the government has allocated to education in Zambia in the current budget, the lowest in the decades. The national budget is about K173 billion and government allocated only K18 billion to the entire education sector.
CORRUPTION IN ZAMBIA Ambassador Mwamba said while there is a general agreement that corruption existed in the previous PF government as much as it exists in the current UPND government.
He gave a specific example of the classic Maurice Jangulo US$1407 per tonne fertiliser scandal that has consumed the nation in debate without a word of defence from the Hichilema government or condemnation.
“Corruption is bad and must be fought. However the fight against corruption is used as a political tool to shut up perceived political opponents.”
Ambassador Mwamba has been seen as one of the most credible critics of the Hichilema government as he has stayed away from taking personal shots at government officials but instead addresses national issues. SOURCE: Millennium TV and Radio
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