ABSENTEE OPPOSITION MPS SLAMMED
A Patriotic Front (PF) leader in North Western Province has accused opposition Members of Parliament in the area of being absent from their constituencies.
Newly elected North Western Province PF chairperson Jackson Kungo wondered how opposition MPs would know the needs of their electorate if they were always absent from their constituencies.
“Where are the Opposition MPs? They are absent in their constituencies and how will they know what is needed in areas?
Mr Kungo was speaking when he called on senior chief Kanongesha at his palace yesterday.
He said the party in the province would work closely with everyone especially traditional leaders to foster development in the region.
“My appeal to you our traditional leaders and other stakeholders is to work closely with the party in government in order to deliver what is outlined in the manifesto,” he said.
He said time for campaigns ended last year and people need to wait until 2021.
“For us as a party, we will continue visiting the districts to interact with our people and see if the needed socio and economic services are reaching them in order for us to engage relevant authorities,” he said.
He said the people in the province need to realise that belonging to the opposition would not help realise the much-needed development.
“We need now with your guidance to see how we can work together to develop our province and the country at large for the betterment of our people,” he said.
He said as leader of the provincial executive committee, he would frequently be visiting chiefdoms in the province because traditional leaders understood the challenges faced by the people in the chiefdoms.
He said the PF and President Lungu were given the mandate in 2016 to rule this country up to 2021 and so the need to work with all stakeholders.
And senior Chief Kanongesha of the Lunda speaking people of Mwinilunga district has called on the people of North Western province to support President Edgar Lungu and the PF government.
The traditional leader who is also chairperson of the provincial council of chiefs, said President Edgar Lungu means well for the province.
He said people should remove the notion that the head of state and the PF government do not love North Western province.
He said despite not giving him enough votes in the 2016 general election, President Lungu had continued to initiate various developmental projects in the province without segregation.
He stated that because of his love for the people of North Western province, he has made sure that the province was connected to the national electricity.
“Not only that, he has shown political will to make sure that the Solwezi-Chingola is worked on. Apart from that, for first time in the history of Mwinilunga, township roads are being upgraded to bituminous standard,” he said.
The chief said his continued visit to the province was also testimony enough that the Head of State was committed to develop the region.
“I am therefore appealing to all well-meaning North Westerners to support the government so that we can receive the much-needed development because the president has already shown willingness to work with us, he said.
He also castigated people that have accused him of working with the opposition United Party for National Development.
“The salary I get is from the PF government, so, honestly, how can I support the opposition? Not at all. We traditional leaders will always work with the government of the day,” he said. The traditional leader has since pledged to support the new PF provincial executive.