PF would have lost without Luapula vote – Lungu

Fri, 10 Feb 2017 08:06:25 +0000

By OSCAR MALIPENGA 

in Lunpula 

HAD it not been for the people of Luapula the Patriotic Front (PF) would not have amassed the 50%+1 threshold vote required to get in power, President Edgar Lungu confessed to a cheering crowd during a rally in Kawambwa, Luapula province yesterday.

And speaking at a political rally at Katungulu primary school in Kawambwa yesterday, the President pledged to prioritise infrastructure development in Luapula province because it was the most impoverished province in Zambia seconded by Western province.

The Head of State who was accompanied by the party secretary general Davis Mwila, directed the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Ronald Chitotela to ensure that developmental projects were delivered in Luapula province.

“If you cannot take care of the people of Luapula province, how can you take care of the people of Eastern province? I want you to show leadership as Member of Parliament for Mansa Central,” President Lungu said.

And the Head of State took time to address the challenge of early marriages in Luapula province.

President Lungu said he was aware that Luapula province was poverty stricken but that marrying off young girls was not wealthy.

“You are killing the young girls by marrying them off. Please, stop it. Mothers ensure that you protect the girl child,” he said.

The Head of State also expressed disappointment that urea fertilizer had not been delivered in some parts of Luapula province.

He said going forward he would be going round inspecting the progress on government projects as opposed to relying on reports because some reports were misleading.

President Lungu also encouraged the people of Luapula province to take advantage of the abundant water in the province and diversify their agriculture practice in the province.

President Lungu said there was wealthy in farming cassava and groundnuts.

He said the province had the potential to be the bread basket of the nation.

And the secretary general told the rally that they should ignore the people who were saying Bembas were politically divided.

He said the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Ronald Chitotela, Community Development Minister Emerine Kabanshi, Defence Minister Davis Chama, Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba, Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya, Provincial Minister Nickson Chilangwa and himself as the PF secretary general Davis Mwila among others were all from Luapula.