Siavonga DC defends his suggestion to split Southern Province

Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

By OLIVER SAMBOKO

Siavonga District Commissioner Lovemore Kanyama has reiterated that it is within his democratic right to call for the split of Southern Province into two regions.
The call by Siavonga District Commissioner Lovemore Kanyama on President Edgar Lungu to split Southern province has been received with mixed feelings.
Former Fodep Executive Director MacDonald Chipenzi has said Kanyama is overstepping his authority and boundary to talk about splitting the province when the Southern Province has full fledged Provincial Administration that can deal with the issue.
“Its amazing how mere a DC can start meddling in Provincial splitting issues when the province has a full fledged provincial admin. Kanyama is truly overstepping his authority and boundaries. He must concern himself with issues in his district which are so numerous and huge. Siavonga is poor and poorly developed, the council chamber is like a church hall and yet the DC is all over on issues that does not concern him. This is a problem of putting active politicians into position of civil service,” stated Chipenzi and added that if at all there is need for the province to be splitted, the Provincial adminstration and Chiefs should be the ones to spearhead the issue.
And Speaking during the people’s Debate Program on Pan African Radio, National Restoration Party (NAREP) Lusaka District information and publicity Secretary Richard Malilwe challenged the Siavonga District Commissioner to give reasons for picking Southern Province for a split out of the ten Provinces in Zambia.
Malilwe accused Kanyama that he only wants southern Province to be divided owing to his ethnic group agenda which will not be a good move for Zambia.
“Lovemore Kanyama only wants southern Province to be divided due to his ethnic group agenda which will not be a good move for Zambia” Malilwe said
But Kanyama said no amount of insults, threats, intimidation and condemnation will stop him from calling for the splitting of Southern Province and creation of more Districts.
“I still maintain that Southern Province be divided into two regions and I support the statement by President Edgar Lungu to create more Districts country wide. I personally support it 100%,and I urge Zambians to support the call from the head of state,” added Kanyama.
Kanyama said he is receiving attacks from within and outside Southern Province over his opinion but maintained that its his Democratic right and no one can has a right to stop him.
“The idea by the Head of state must be supported as this will bring service delivery closer to the people. For example, the separation of Chirundu from Siavonga is an example to what the president is calling, this is one way of fostering development to the areas created,”
And Kanyama has warned under performing Zambian contractors engaged to work on government projects in the districts risks having their contracts being terminated.
Kanyama said any local contractor who will be identified to be doing shoddy work will have their contractor terminated on site and new ones from the outside district will be identified.
The DC said out the five contractors engaged to build houses for police officers ion the district, only one is doing a fine job.
He said its shocking to see how local contractors in Chikankata District have done tremendous work, while their colleagues in Siavonga district are failing to do good works.