Maravi

Mumbi lambastes timing of student allowances raise

Mumbi lambastes timing of student allowances raise
By Kombe Chimpinde
Sat 02 July 2011, 04:01 CAT

It is very foolish for Dora Siliya and President Rupiah Banda to think that increasing allowances will hoodwink students into voting for MMD, says a parliamentarian. And UNZALARU says that the decision by the government to increase students’ allowances is a political gimmick.

Mumbi Phiri, who is member of parliament for Munali Constituency where the University of Zambia falls, said it was MMD’s tired and failed practice of raising various allowances for students in an election year.

“Government only increases allowances of students, only when there are elections. As the minister admittedly said, the last increment was in 2008,” said Phiri in an interview.

“We are all aware that 2008 was a year of elections, the other one was done in 2001 and 2006. Those are all election years. So President Banda and Dora Siliya should not think we are in the old Germany where Hitler (Adolf) was using propaganda to win support.”

Mumbi said Zambians and students in particular, were now aware of the MMDs’ trickery and that they would not fall them.

“Now even people in far-flung areas are educated and aware. They know the problems obtaining in the country so nobody can be fooled,” Phiri said.

And Phiri expressed disgust at a comment made by Siliya that parents must plan their families to avoid having children they could not afford to take care of. Siliya said this when she toured the Copperbelt University recently where she made the announcements on the meal, book and project allowances for students at the two biggest learning institutions in the country.

“It’s a very big insult for Dora (Siliya) to come out and start telling Zambians to plan their families. Is it her burden if people have 10 children? She (Dora) should just pray that God gives her a husband who can give her more children if she so wishes,” Phiri said.

“Let her not interfere in other people’s families. We have very educated ministers who have a lot of children in her Cabinet. Is there anything wrong with that? Can we (Zambians) say they do not know how to plan?”

She warned Dora to desist from insulting the integrity of Zambians.

“It’s a shame that we have women with such behaviours when the country is fighting for 30 per cent women representation in positions of decision making,” said Phiri.

University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers Union (UNZALARU) secretary general Jason Mwanza said that the move to selectively address the challenges at the institution was politically motivated.

“They (MMD government) want to gain political mileage. They want to be seen to be doing good but as a government they should be seen to be doing good at all times. Government has responsibilities over its citizens and these should be constant without variations,” Mwanza said.

“The past four or five years the University has not had the liberty to negotiate freely for emoluments and gratuities. We have always had a wage gap. For instance the past two years, the budget for the universities has not been increased.”

He complained that there were no indications of a likelihood of government adjusting their benefits.

“This is a potential receipt for anarchy. We do appreciate that allowances for students have increased and particularly the project allowances. The students indeed have had hardships but you see the hand to assist has come too late and at an awkward time, when the needs of their parents, the lecturers are not being addressed,” said Mwanza.

Labels: CORRUPTION, DORA SILIYA, MUMBI PHIRI, STUDENTS, UNZALARU

posted by MrK @ 5:18 PM