• Benefits of the removal of subsidies will soon be felt by all citizens.
• Government has not backtracked on anything
• The intention of government is to stabilize the economy.

Vice President Mutale Nalumango says government’s decision to increase fuel prices is meant to stabilize the economy.
Speaking in Parliament during the Vice President’s question and answer session, Mrs. Nalumango said benefits of the removal of subsidies on fuel and electricity will soon be felt by all citizens.
She stated that government has not backtracked on any of its promises as it is focused on improving the lives of Zambians.
“To squeeze a boil, you don’t have to look kind. UPND does not back track on anything. The intention of this government is to stabilize the economy, when the economy is stable that means benefits will start being seen.”
“I know the turbulence that comes with the removal of subsidies, in the short term can look like it’s very bad like when your boil is being squeezed, but everybody must know that the end result will be something good,” Mrs. Nalumango said.
She added that government needs money to take to other priority areas like the provision of free education, as well as recruitment of health workers and teachers, hence the decision to remove subsidies.
“This is the same money that government needs to take into other critical areas , that is the same money that we are going to redistribute even through CDF but along the way the economy will be so stable, the Kwacha will continue to appreciate,” she stated.
Mrs. Nalumango was responding to Mporokoso Member of Parliament Brian Mundubile who wanted to find out why Zambians should continue trusting in the new administration after backtracking on most of its campaign promises.
Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has adjusted upwards fuel pump prices and the move has received mixed feelings from different members of the public.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Nalumango said government does not set the minimum wage for miners, stating that it is the duty of labour unions in the mining sector to negotiate salaries for their members.
“Nobody wants their workers to have slave wages. It is a global agenda to have decent wages and that is what we mean, but we have to understand that minimum wage has a category of people it deals with, it doesn’t deal with everybody.”
“Government does not set minimum wages for miners, those have a different condition some of them its personal and some of them it’s under labour unions. It is the duty of labour unions to negotiate for their workers,” she said.
She was responding to Nkana Member of Parliament Binwell Mpundu who wanted to know if it is part of government’s agenda to look into the plight of miners by revising their minimum wage.