Tell us our mistakes – Lungu

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu says traditional leaders should not hesitate to point out where Government was not doing well to improve service delivery.

And President Lungu said not all roads would be upgraded to bituminous standard as the government did not have enough money to do so at once.

The President said some roads would just be graded to ensure they were passable as the Treasury was sourcing for more funds.

He was speaking when he met three chiefs at Ponde Secondary School in Chienge yesterday. The three were Senior Chief Mununga, Senior Chief Puta and Chief Lambwe Chomba

Mr Lungu urged the traditional leaders to help Government with the right information so as to serve the people better.

“Advise us where we are not doing well. And also tell us where we are doing fine,” the President said.

Mr Lungu assured Zambians that he was determined to work on all the roads that were in a bad state countrywide but would not tar all of them at once due to competing needs.

Mr Lungu said Bill 10 would help resolve succession wrangles because at the moment anyone could stand and claim to be a chief without fearing authority.

Meanwhile, the three chiefs have pledged their support to President Edgar Lungu for his leadership style.

Speaking through their spokesperson, sub Chief Twaileta Chipungu, the three assured the President of their support beyond 2021.

The chiefs, however, bemoaned the poor state of Kashikishi-Lunchinda Road and lack of communication towers in Lambwe Chomba chiefdom.

They appealed to the President to consider upgrading the Kashikishi- Lunchinda Road to an all-weather stretch.

They also appealed for construction of a police station in Mununga area.

In response, the President who said he was committed to working on all the roads called on Housing and Infrastructure Minister Vincent Mwale to explain what was being done to have the road worked on.

Mr Mwale explained that Government had revisited the Kashikishi-Lunchinda Road project from the initial K470 million to K229 million because of competing needs.

And

President Lungu has lunched the Citizen Entrepreneur Development Programme in Nchelenge.

The programme which is an initiative of the Economics Association of Zambia and the African Green Resource is aimed at empowering people with start-up capital so that they can explore resources within their communities.

Speaking during the launch, President Lungu expressed happiness that a big empowerment programme had been taken to rural areas.

He said Luapula had potential in fishing, agriculture and oil exploration, hence the need for citizens to take a lead in exploiting the resources.

Speaking at the same event EAZ President Lubinda Haabazoka thanked the people of Luapula for welcoming the entrepreneurship programme.

Dr. Haabazoka said the programme was aimed at empowering 1.2 million entrepreneurs countrywide