I will rule without fear - Lungu

I WILL continue to lead the country without fear in order to remain on the right track, President Edgar Lungu has declared. The Head of State said in Ndola yesterday that fear came from the devil and prevented progress in any area of life. President Lungu said this at a Church service at the Healing Tabernacle Pentecostal Church in Chifubu Township where he joined hundreds of congregants after arriving from Lusaka. “It is impossible to do what you believe in and what you feel is right without fear. That is why I will continue leading this country with a fearless heart,” he said. He thanked the preacher for the sermon on getting rid of fear, stating that it had encouraged him greatly. Earlier during the sermon, Healing Tabernacle Presiding Bishop Robert Nonde said he was happy that Zambia had leaders who honoured God. Bishop Nonde commended the President for always putting God first in his leadership and urged him to continue on the right path. He encouraged the President to lead the nation fearlessly regardless of what people said about him and that every leader went through a number of challenges. The Bishop said fear was a barrier to progress, hence the imperative need to overcome it through prayer and harvesting the Word of God. Leaders and many other people, he said, needed to be courageous because challenges would always be there but Christians should have faith in the living God. Earlier on arrival at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport, President Lungu said all Patriotic Front (PF) MPs would be required to present midterm reports to show whether they have performed well for them to be given another chance in 2021. He reiterated that his party would not adopt underperforming MPs in 2021 and that he was only prepared to work with lawmakers who had the interest of the people at heart. The President revealed that he would soon hold meetings with the lawmakers to check on what projects they had initiated since they were voted into power. “I want to urge all MPs especially on the Copperbelt to focus on their work because they will all be assessed for them to be adopted in 2021,” he said. The President further said he would ignore those who were concocting lies and maliciously criticising his Government. And PF Copperbelt chairman Steven Kainga assured President Lungu that the party was stable in the province. Mr Kainga said that people were willing to work with the Government to facilitate national development. And President Lungu says some characters within the Patriotic Front PF attempting to manipulate the party’s election democracy by positioning themselves for adoption in 2021 are wasting their time. President Lungu said he had information that there are some people that are plotting to reverse the party’s democracy in the ongoing intraparty elections which has led to squabbles and problems among some members. President Lungu however, says the scheme by such characters who are positioning themselves for adoption in 2021 by manipulating the electoral process in PF by buying people to support them will not work. He says members of parliament on the Copperbelt should therefore, focus on their works which will be assessed at an appropriate time but warns that those that are underperforming will be given yellow cards and the deserving would be adopted in 2021. The Head of State was speaking this Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport in Ndola when addressing party supporters where he has travelled for a two day working visit.