Maravi

PF plans protests over high mealie-meal prices

PF plans protests over high mealie-meal prices
Written by Mutuna Chanda in Kitwe
Sunday, November 30, 2008 3:29:03 PM

THE Patriotic Front (PF) on the Copperbelt has applied to hold non-violent protests simultaneously in all towns against high mealie-meal prices among other things this Saturday.

In a letter dated November 24, 2008, addressed to the Copperbelt Police chief, PF provincial chairman Mwenya Musenge also cited the increments in salaries for the Republican President, ministers and members of parliament as well as the high cost of fertiliser as reasons for the protests.

"We the Patriotic Front on the Copperbelt Province wish to carry out peaceful, non-violent protest marches on December 6, 2008 in all the towns of the Copperbelt namely Ndola, Luanshya, Kitwe combined with Kalulushi, Mufulira, Chingola and Chililabombwe," Musenge stated.

"The protest marches will run simultaneously in all the Copperbelt towns and the reasons for the protests will be as follows: high mealie-meal costs; high fertiliser costs; and increments of President's, ministers and members of parliament's salaries."

And in an interview, Musenge said he earlier had a chat with the acting Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde who advised him to go ahead and apply for a police permit.

However, Musenge said he failed to understand why the police insisted on the old provisions of the law when the Public Order Act was clear on holding processions.

"The Public Order Act says that police must be notified seven days in advance," Musenge said. "This is to enable them provide security. It does not say that we should apply to hold a procession."

However, he said the peaceful procession would go ahead as planned by the party in the province.

"The police should just guide on whether they are comfortable with us going ahead in the format we have suggested or they wish us to hold one as we had earlier proposed to them in the one which was cancelled," he said. "And we only agreed to cancel that one because of the violence that broke out."

He also said the marches were meant to protest against the retrenchments of workers on the mines.

"We cannot sit by and watch our brothers and sisters being retrenched," said Musenge.

Two weeks ago, police cancelled a PF permit to demonstrate against the election of President Rupiah Banda and to press for the removal of Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) director Dan Kalale for allegedly presiding over fraudulent elections.

Labels: INFLATION, MEALIE-MEAL, MWENYA MUSENGE, PF

posted by MrK @ 3:28 PM