ZAMBIA: Lungu’s Visit Cheers Chief Ishindi

CHIEF Ishindi of the Lunda people of Zambezi District, in North-Western Province, has said President Edgar Lungu’s visits to the province shows his desire to include all Zambians in the country’s governance process.
Chief Ishindi said President Lungu had demonstrated that he wanted to include all chiefs and their subjects in the running of the nation.

He said the President had visited Zambezi twice within a short period, a sign that he was interested in the people of that area.
Chief Ishindi was speaking when President Lungu visited him at his palace in Zambezi District on Saturday prior to attending the Lunda Lubanza traditional ceremony of the Lunda people of Chief Ishindi in Zambezi East.

“Your visit is historical because you are the second sitting President to grace the Lunda Lubanza. The people of Zambezi are happy with your visits and they support you,” Chief Ishindi said.
He said President Lungu’s launching of the road rehabilitation exercise in Zambezi District showed that the President understood the problems of the people.

He said the people of Zambezi supported President Lungu’s leadership and were ready to give him a five-year mandate.
Chief Ishindi appealed to President Lungu to facilitate for investment in developing a lime production facility in Zambezi because the district has many lime deposits.

President Lungu said he was building on the ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ slogan by according Zambians of all tribes and political parties an opportunity to be in Government.
He said he recently appointed United Party for National Development (UPND) Sinazongwe Member of Parliament as Defence Minister, a move that had upset some sections of society.

Mr Lungu said it was unfortunate that some people wanted to use tribe as a way to gain politically.
“I am willing to even fight my colleagues in the Patriotic Front on that issue because the Government belongs to all Zambians, President Lungu said.

He said it was important to visit traditional rulers around the country, even those in areas where he lost during the January 20 presidential election, in order to get all the views of the people.
The President was accompanied on his visit by, among others, Deputy Minister in North-Western Province Dawson Kafwaya and State House Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Chilubanama.