BAROTSELAND NAME IS PART OF THE PEOPLE’S HERITAGE
THE President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema’s comments on the name "Bartoseland" have been taken out of context and known political parties with a political agenda of not wanting to see development in Western Province have continued to mislead the public to achieve their selfish motives.
The President has been very consistent from day one even in his days in opposition that the name "Barotseland" is part of the heritage of the people in the Western Province and that people should be free to use that name.
What the president was explaining and emphasising when addressing controlling officers at Mulungushi International Conference Centre on January 18, 2024, was unity in diversity and that as Zambians, we must work as one people to achieve development in all parts of our country.
In that speech, the president mentioned both Luapula and Western Province and how we should work together to promote the fish industry.
He also mentioned other provinces, too, so that we can tap into their competitive advantage to grow the economy.
The emphasis was not on Western Province or Barotseland but on how we can achieve development by working together as a unit, unity in diversity.
The President's distractors and the opposition parties are not happy with the milestones of development being achieved by his government and are at the forefront of misleading the people to achieve their narrow interests.
The President is on record while he officiated at the Western Province Expo, assuring the people in the region that the name Bartoseland is part of the heritage and people should not be scared to use it.
This president does not contradict himself because he is sober all the time. He is not a Jameson person.
Mr Amutike says no other president and government has done so much within a short space of time for the people of Barotseland than President Hichilema and the new dawn administration.
A lot of people from Western Province have been appointed to key positions in government and its institutions.
In the failed government of PF, there was zero cabinet minister from Western Province apart from our grandmother, Ms Inonge Wina, who was just being used. The same was the status quo at the permanent secretary level. No proper project was started and completed in the Western Province.
Mongu/Lusaka Road for example has already been allocated a budget and construction is to begin very soon. This is all under President Hichilema and the new dawn administration.
The people of Western Province or Barotseland, as others may want to refer to it must have no doubt of the commitment of this president and the new dawn administration towards our region and its development.