SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY MR. EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA, AT THE GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY FOR UPGRADING OF NSELUKA-KAYAMBI ROAD PROJECT IN NSELUKA

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FRIDAY, 11th AUGUST, 2017

HON. CHITALU CHILUFYA, ACTING MINISTER OF HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT;

CABINET MINISTERS PRESENT;

HON. BRIAN MUNDUBILE, THE PROVINCIAL MINISTER FOR NORTHERN PROVINCE;

HON. CHRISTOPHER YALUMA, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR MALOLE CONSTITUENCY AND OTHER MPs PRESENT;

YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS MWINELUBEMBA KANYANTA MANGA SOSALA II, PARAMOUNT CHIEF CHITIMUKULU;

YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESSES CHIEF MAKASA AND CHIEF CHIMBOLA;

MEMBERS OF THE PRESS;

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS;

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

FROM THE ONSET, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE WITH SINCERE GRATITUDE, THE WARM RECEPTION THE PEOPLE OF NORTHERN PROVINCE HAVE ACCORDED ME SINCE OUR ARRIVAL YESTERDAY.

I AM GRATEFUL TO YOU THE PEOPLE OF MUNGWI FOR THE SUPPORT YOU HAVE CONTINUED TO RENDER TO ME AND THE PATROTIC FRONT GOVERNMENT.
I AM HERE TO YET AGAIN DELIVER ON THE NUMEROUS PROMISES, THE PATRIOTIC FRONT (PF) MADE TO THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA IN ITS RELENTLESS QUEST TO BETTER THEIR LIVES ESPECIALLY IN RURAL AREAS WHERE DEVELOPMENT HAS NOT BEEN AS MUCH AS IN URBAN AREAS.
MY ADMINISTRATION IS ANCHORED ON THE PREMISE THAT EQUITABLE SHARING OF THE MERGRE RESOURCES THROUGH PROVISION OF QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS ROADS, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS AND OTHER SOCIAL AMENITIES IS THE FASTEST AND SUREST WAY TO BRING ABOUT SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THEREFORE, I AM ELATED TO YET AGAIN COMMISSION WORKS FOR THIS ROAD PROJECT BARELY TWO WEEKS WHEN I OFFICIATED THE LAUNCH OF WORKS FOR THE UPGRADING OF KAWAMBWA-MPOROKOSO ROAD COVERING A DISTANCE OF 122 KILOMETRES TO BITUMINOUS STANDARD.

TODAY, I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT MY GOVERNMENT HAS AWARDED A CONTRACT TO MESSRS CHINA GEO-ENGINEERING CORPORATION TO UPGRADE 82 KILOMETRES OF THE APPROXIMATELY 172 KILOMETRES OF NSELUKA KAYAMBI-CHOZI ROAD AT A TOTAL COST OF K631 MILLION.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS;
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

THE SECTION TO BE WORKED ON UNDER LOT 2 IS FROM NSELUKA TO MAKASA VILLAGE INVOLVING 82 KILOMETRES AND THE PROJECT WILL BE EXECUTED WITHIN 36 MONTHS.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS ROAD ONCE COMPLETED WILL BOOST TRADE AND AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES NOT ONLY IN SURROUNDING AREAS BUT THE PROVINCE AS A WHOLE.

IT IS SADDENING TO NOTE THAT WHILE FARMERS IN THE AREA HAVE SHOWN GREAT COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, BUT THEIR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN HAMPERED BY THE POOR STATE OF THE ROAD ESPECIALLY DURING THE RAINY SEASON.

HOWEVER, WITH THE COMPLETION OF NSELUKA-KAYAMBI ROAD PROJECT, THIS WILL BE A THING OF THE PAST AS OUR VIBRANT SMALL SCALE FARMERS WILL ACCESS MARKETS AND BE ABLE TO TRANSPORT THEIR INPUTS WITH EASE AND MINIMUM COSTS THEREBY, BOOSTING THEIR ECONOMIC STATUS AT FAMILY LEVEL.

OUR EXPECTANT MOTHERS WHO ARE IN MOST CASES EVACUATED FROM KAYAMBI MISSION HOSPITAL TO KASAMA GENERAL HOSPITAL FOR SPECIALISED ATTENTION WILL ENJY BETTER SERVICE WHEN THE STATE OF THIS ROAD IMPROVES ON COMPLETION OF THE WORKS WE ARE COMMISSIONING TODAY.

FURTHER, BECAUSE OF THE POOR STATE OF THE ROAD, THE AVERAGE TRAVEL TIME OF ONE HOUR, TAKES OVER FIVE HOURS, FORCING MOTORISTS TO USE THE LONGER ROUTE OF MBALA-NAKONDE ROAD WHEN TRAVELLING TO KAYAMBI.

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS;
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

I AM GLAD TO NOTE THAT THIS PROJECT I AM LAUNCHING TODAY COMPRISE WORKS ON TOWNSHIP ROADS IN MUNGWI, A RELATIVELY SMALL DISTRICT BUT WITH MASSIVE POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH PARTICULARLY IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR.

THE TOWNSHIP ROADS ONCE COMPLETED WILL ALSO ADD TO THE BEAUTY OF THE DISTRICT AND REDUCE ON THE TEAR AND WEAR ON MOTOR VEHICLES.

LET ME USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MENTION THAT GOVERNMENT HAS CONTINUED TO SPEND COLOSSAL SUMS OF MONEY TO PUT UP SUCH HUGE INFRASTRUCTURE. I THEREFORE, EXPECT QUALITY WORKS FROM THE CONTRACTOR AND THE PROJECT SHOULD BE DELIVERED WITHIN THE STIPULATED TIME FRAME.

FOR THE RESIDENTS, MY EARNEST APPEAL IS THAT SUPPORT THE CONTRACTOR DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROJECT AND AFTERWARDS GUARD JEALOUSLY THE ROADS AND OTHER RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE INSTALLED. THESE DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS ARE YOURS, MINE AND FOR ALL OF US.

I WISH TO ONCE AGAIN REMIND THE ROAD DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO ENSURE THAT LOCAL ZAMBIAN FIRMS COMPRISING SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE CONTRACTORS ARE ENGAGED ON THIS PROJECT AS SUB-CONTRACTORS IN LINE WITH THE 20 PER CENT SUB-CONTRACTING POLICY.

ENGAGING LOCAL SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE CONTRACTORS AS SUB-CONTRACTORS ON THE PROJECT IS ONE WAY OF ENSURING JOB CREATION FOR OUR PEOPLE WHILST SIMULTENEOUSLY HELPING TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF OUR CONTRACTORS FOR THEM ABLE TO TAKE UP BIGGER PROJECTS IN FUTURE.

LET ME CONCLUDE BY REITERATING THAT GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO PRIORITISE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT COUNTRYWIDE, AS A VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

GOING FORWARD, MY GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT MASSIVE CAPITAL PROJECTS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ZAMBIANS IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION, ETHNIC OR POLITICAL INCLINATIONS.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!I ITHANK YOU.