News
Zambians Protest Corruption & Bad Governance with the #YellowCard Movement
Zambians on social media have had it with corruption, bad governance, debt, and the reduction of food, education and health services for the most vulnerable, so they are calling out their government with the #YellowCard.
Like Nigerians who went out en masse in 2018 for the #OurMumuDonDo protest, Zambians on social media have had it with corruption, bad governance, debt, and the reduction of food, education and health services for the most vulnerable, so they are calling out their government with the #YellowCard.
The people are saying enough is enough. But enough to what? Well, the list of transgressions is long, and they all can be summarised under that African ethos of corruption.
There’s the road they’re saying should have cost 4.4 billion kwacha and is costing about three times that. There’s the toll costing what they claim is about ten times its actual value. There’s the presidential jet costing billions during acute economic austerity. Then, probably most infuriating of all, there’s the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) 2018 report claiming K4.9billion has been lost to corruption in the country.
The people are saying all the funds lost can be used to help provide much-needed drugs to hospital. They’re saying they can be used to fund education. They’re saying the hundreds of deaths as a result of cholera can be avoided with these stolen sums. So they decided to protest.
The protest, according to Lusaka Times, was organised by activists Pilato, Laura Miti, Gunduzani Mwale, and musician Maiko Zulu. The police had refused to give the organisers the go ahead, claiming they were too busy on the day of the protest to police the protesters.
But while the people can be stopped from taking to the streets, they certainly can’t be stopped from using social media, and use social media they did.
Zambians painted Twitter yellow, all of them protesting corruption with their yellow cards.
Check out some of the tweets:
The #YellowCard campaign has been started as a protest against the things that are going wrong in our country: excessive debt, corruption, closure of CBU, the reduction of food, education and health services for our most vulnerable. Pls raise your yellow card! pic.twitter.com/3MQVMwd7f4
— Linda Kasonde (@kalushk) June 21, 2019
We want police to know that we’ll push till we gather. Meanwhile, tomorrow let us turn the internet YELLOW
with a social media protest. Let powerholders know that we won’t accept billions building mansions & buying fancy cars while citizens battle for basics. Hashtag #YellowCard pic.twitter.com/dtLyYlVZg0— Laura Miti (@LauraMiti) June 20, 2019
Enjoy your plane as the sound of crying children in UTH continues to echo.
#yellowcard pic.twitter.com/nphwPJTMdo
— Richard Rivers (@LufupaRiver) June 21, 2019
Good Morning Zed Twitter. Today is #YellowCard Day. The police won’t allow a peaceful protest against corruption so we are painting the internet yellow. Please share and post and repost! Thank you! pic.twitter.com/wnP81Dv33O
— Pamela Chisanga (@PamChisanga) June 21, 2019
We join the people of Zambia in raising the #YellowCard to the robbery of their future through corruption. pic.twitter.com/Z9y6leiAzu
— Hakainde Hichilema (@HHichilema) June 21, 2019
Everything those in power are doing is either to stay in piwer or massively enrich themselves from public resources. Meanwhile the nation slowly dies. #YellowCard to destructive leadership pic.twitter.com/zvW977h88E
— Laura Miti (@LauraMiti) June 21, 2019
PF have no plan to save Zambia from what they have done to it. They have never had one. It’s crazy how a few individuals have crippled the whole economy with their unpatriotic corrupt deeds.#selfstyledking #Zambia #YellowCard pic.twitter.com/XlzvoaYr8O
— Trevor Mumba (@selfstyledking) June 21, 2019
While you refuse to fund education for your selfish needs, here in Kasama we are doing our best to learn.
Don’t say you were not warned.
#YellowCard pic.twitter.com/mKDCzHQJY5
— Richard Rivers (@LufupaRiver) June 21, 2019
Ise bakukomboni we need your commitment towards the betterment of our lives the same way you show commitment to us when its campaign time ✊#YellowCard pic.twitter.com/UjO8yfRsJ7
— Idah Sarah Syankamu (@SyankamuS) June 21, 2019
Enough is enough
Education is a right for every Zambian citizen stop delaying there future#OpenCBU #YellowCard pic.twitter.com/b7AM5ZUOjL— Gershom (@Gershom65810031) June 21, 2019
I choose to stand with Zambia and against the corrupt whose agenda is to steal from all of us.
President @EdgarCLungu must act now against corruption.#yellowcard pic.twitter.com/e8NSAFIRuh— pilAto (@iampilato) June 21, 2019
Zambia is bleeding… Colossal sums of money lost through corruption. Money that could help us improve access & quality of education in Zambian to make it truly a human right. Money that can increase bursaries. Stop stealing of future of children. #openCBU #YellowCard pic.twitter.com/62FlAJSbfG
— Sydney Mwansa (@sydosis) June 21, 2019
55 Years after independence, we buy a jet for 68 million USD for the President while 2/3 of Zambians use undignified overflowing pit latrines or relieve themselves in the open. Cholera is a governance choice. We CAN afford sanitation dignity for all. #YellowCard pic.twitter.com/fB1K8eGz2a
— Laura Miti (@LauraMiti) June 21, 2019
Let’s raise our yellow cards today! #YellowCard pic.twitter.com/lzXzLPQouk
— Ayesha Syed. (@A_YeshaSyed) June 21, 2019
At the Expense of others these leaders abuse office and inhumanly increase the gap between the rich and the poor.
Remember that our loss is their gain some we should not expect them to hand as support for #YellowCard because it would be a gain for us. pic.twitter.com/cJOh8HQ3mS— ??#IAmFearless?? (@NjavwaSimukoko) June 21, 2019
With all the theft and economic mismanagement, Zambians are kind enough to give you a warning #YellowCard. Don’t underestimate their desire for change. The red card is in the back pocket.
— Hakainde Hichilema (@HHichilema) June 21, 2019
Investigate #42for42 – No No!
Ambulances – Nooo!
Social cash transfer – No chance!
AG’s report – Oh No!
FIC report – Heck no, it’s mfwiti!
Ok life style audit – In your dreams?
Then we will demonstrate – We will come at you with full force????
Public is like??#YellowCard— Laura Miti (@LauraMiti) June 21, 2019
Corruption is the main reason public services are so poor in Zambia. Join many other citizens today and speak against corruption. It doesn’t matter where you are.. simply raise a yellow card on any social media platform and be part of the protest against corruption. #YellowCard pic.twitter.com/vZnZecMhZC
— Jeston Lunda (@lundajeston) June 21, 2019
