Lungu defends ministers … stop asking me to fire govt officials

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has warned individuals from trying to influence him to fire government officials saying they should desist from doing so as he is able to make his own decisions.

The head of state said he was aware of calls by some critics to fire certain Ministers, stating that these critics should leave him so that he works with the team he chooses to work with.

President, Lungu was speaking at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Chinsali yesterday.

“I am the coach of my team. I know who is not working and who is working. Do not tell me who to fire because I will instead fire you,” President Lungu said.

He has since advised critics to correct the Ministers they thought were not doing their job.

And President Lungu has reiterated that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government would continue being allies of the Church no matter what detractors said.

The President who donated a brick-making machine to the Church, said Government recognized the role that the Church had continued to play in the country’s development.

“As a party in Government we respect the role of the Church and we will continue to support the Church in every way we can. We do not care what others say because we are doing the correct thing,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Lungu has vowed to clean up the electronic voucher system in 2019 farming season.

He observed that the e-voucher system in the last farming season was marred with corrupt elements. He acknowledged that the e-voucher system was new and corrupt people could embezzle input from it.

He said some people were stealing seed and fertilizer in the previous system from farmers, hence Government effort to clean up the system. The Head of State also said he was aware that the E-voucher had serious challenges but that overall the system is better because it has saved Government huge sums of money.

And Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church Father in-charge Seferino Chibesa has implored Zambians to respect the Presidency, saying that leadership came from God.

Fr Chibesa urged President Lungu not to listen to destructors, but continue serving the people.

“You should not allow your opponents to destruct you, because you were given a mandate by God which is to serve the Zambian people. God chose you for a purpose, do not respond to people who want you to fail,” Fr Chibesa said.