PRESIDENT Lungu says Chipata, Kasama, Solwezi and Mongu will be transformed into cities during his tenure as head of State.
And President Lungu has appealed to Paramount Chief Gawa Undi of the Chewa people and Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni to share one platform to promote unity in the two chiefdoms.
Mr Lungu said Chipata will soon be a city once the Chipata General Hospital is upgraded and modern infrastructure put in place.
He said this during a special interview with journalists at Luangwa House before he graced the Nc’wala ceremony on the western outskirts of Chipata on Saturday.
“As a freeman of Chipata, I would love that the Chipata Municipal Council attains the city status before I leave office. I will also go to Kasama, Mongu, and Solwezi and consult the respective councils,” he said.
President Lungu said he will work with Minister of Local Government and Housing John Phiri to ensure that Chipata and the three other provincial towns are transformed into cities.
He commended Chipata Municipal Council for conferring him the status of a freeman and promised to work with the local authorities.
He said Government is investing in infrastructure development such as the road network so that towns can be modernised.
On agriculture, he said Government will work on ensuring that farmers are paid on time and inputs delivered timely.
President Lungu said there is currently over 1.5 tonnes of maize in storage and that there is need to export the surplus to create space for the new crop.
Meanwhile, President Lungu has appealed to paramount chiefs Gawa Undi and Mpezeni to work together in the spirit of promoting ‘One Zambia, One Nation’.
He said it is his desire to see that the two paramount chiefs visit each other.
President Lungu said the motto ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ fosters unity not only among chiefs but all Zambians.
President Lungu also said Government will promote tourism through cultural activities like the Nc’wala ceremony, which attracts foreign and local tourists.
He said Zambia has many tourist attractions in Eastern Province and other parts of the country.
E DEVELOPMENT FYE IYI. EMA PANGE TUFWAYA SAN AYO. PLEASE KEEP SUCH THINGS COMING. MAY WE AS ZAMBIANS REALIZE IT SOONER.
Thank-you GRZ
IT’S YOUR TIME. OUR TIME IS COMING WHEN WE SHALL AS WELL MAKE MONZE A CITY.
TRUTH
What kind of a human being are you?
Southern province already has a city in Livingstone and Choma is been transformed from a village to a town. On the other hand, Eastern, Northern, North-western and Western provinces have nothing. What are you complaining about?
Do you mean to say development is only development if and only if it is in Southern province?
Get over yourself.
Without roads , electricity , work and hospitals . What type of city’s will the be now ? Only development in Zambia is great east road , airport turn off to Kabwe road roundabout . 25 km that’s the only development the last 50yrs . What was the point of independence if we can’t look after ourself and busy borrowing money from Europe .
Progress mwe
Well done PF
Even USA and Germany do not have such track record!
Even kasama…okey and solwezi
Will only believe if development of the mentioned towns is done at the same time. If you start with chipata, then we will conclude it is the politicians who promote regionalism.
Observer, you a mentally retarded. Chipata is way ahead of most of these towns. Why should you start thinking Chipata is at the same level as Kasama or Solwezi? Under normal circumstances, Chipata would have been a city way back. Remember, Chipata is the fastest growing town in Zambia! No mines, no minerals, but people work hard on the land. In march we have tobacco, in May we have groundnuts, in June we have maize, cotton, groundnuts, etc. We can also include cross border trading between Lilongwe and Chipata.
Shut Up we Mu tonga. Always thinking about Tribe.
cities? are you sure?
good luck zambians…..
What His Excellency is talking about is not an imposible feat.It can be done.Congrats EL…..
The guy is useless,making a village districts cities 4 what? In other countries the some of the town we call cities here in zambia…are villages the likes of livingstone,kitwe,ndola & lusaka are all villages….kitwe no station no airport no proper buildings then you call it a city stupid lazzy people….now its chipata,solwezi,kasama & mansa awe sure zambia.
It’s interesting to note why he has left out Livingstone! Is this not the same person who is preaching reconciliation and taking development to all places. Lungu is very vengeful though he pretends to be all embracing! All his moves are pointing towards isolating and punishing the people of Southern province. Does he honestly think all Zambians hate Southerners the way he does.
Politics is a very unpredictable and dynamic game, you never know when you will need the people of Southern Province.
Sorry folks, I didn’t realise that Livingstone is a city! Nice move ECL though I think there are a lot more priority areas that need your attention that changing names of towns to cities.
Livingstone is a city bwana.
ZED Patriot
Can’t you see what is happening in Choma? Why should it be southern province and no where else.
@ the monitor
I made a mistake and apologised. Yes development should be everywhere but changing the status of a district to city is not developed, this is what is called cosmetic development!
He says he will also go to the other towns to consult, but why congratulate him. Three years data went to develop muchinga how is he going to managed develop 4 towns?? Buubeela wenu baa Kabwaa
Forgive these empty bloggers who ‘ve just mustered to oppose anything as long as it’s not coming from hh. By the way who are the main players in Upnd. Its like Upnd and HH are two different parties.
hahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Make Livingstone a City!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cities by Zambian standards are mere settlements somewhere?
President Lungu; please try all you can to be serious. Those places cannot and do not qualify to be cities. As they stand the status for which they qualify is VILLAGE. Consider to upgrade to questionable city status the following; Mufulira, Chingola, Luanshya, Kabwe.
It is clear that some of you are just talking from without! You can’t compare Chipata to Chingola or Mufulira. Chipata is way advanced compared to most towns on the copperbelt. in my view it is even better than Livingstone. Don’t argue with me just go there and see for yourself. in honest Chipata should have been mad a city along time ago!!!!!
Please you don’t name cities, they are developed….. For me it makes no sense to call Mongu, Solwezi, Kabwe,etc cities when there is no development.
Umwana ashenda atasha nina ukunaya.
Calling settlements cities for the sake of it. Why? Will it improve lives of natives? Or just make it a laughing stock of tourists?
Any why is he encouraging the Chewa and Ngoni chiefs to mingle? Is there a problem between them? Or is he trying to create one?
Why constantly preaching against tribalism? I grew up in zed, and the most tribalist people are the politicians themselves.
Lungu just wants to buy votes. Yes, Chipata has tarred roads. Lupiya made sure that township road were also tarred. But if Kabwe is not yet a city and if Chingola is not yet a city, what development is there to make Chipata, Solwezi, Kasama and Mongu as cities. Lungu is just ashamed not to declare Chipata a city today because ZWD had announced his plans earlier
Oh please a place does not become a city simply because the President decrees. In fact the so-called cities of Zambia including are not worthy to be called that. Low thinking capacity and lack of exposure is what gets Zambians excited for nothing and voting in the wrong people all the time.
I think we have a big problem in this country. Just two years ago Sata renamed the airports and went on rampage declaring villages into districts in order to appease people. Lungu has followed suit by planning to declare districts into cities when he knows very well that no amenities exist to warrant the transformation of the said into cities. What achievement will such declarations bring to Zambia? These chaps, instead of focusing on real issues they choose to divert our attention to useless things. We want cheaper mealie meal, cheaper fuel, drugs in hospitals, lower interest rates, stronger kwacha. These are the key issues. Now we even have some stu.pid deputy ministers forcing people to relocate to the so called districts when there are no offices. Please focus on real issues.
Edgar Lungu doesn’t seem to have any developmental agenda; instead he wants to divert our attention to useless things such as declaring some towns into cities. What benefits will such declarations bring to the people of Zambia. He is president and does not know what to do to better the economy of the country. Instead, he wants to be trivial like Sata who did not know what to do with the presidency. As Zambians we are to blame because we vote for people who have no clue whatsoever in bettering our economy. What happens is that these chaps just look at their personal economies. Just look at his team – Inonge Wina Vice President. What can she offer in terms of improving the welfare of Zambians other than just officiating at meetings? We’re doomed as a country.
It saddens me when I look at our country. Edgar Lungu and Inonge Wina think that by being president and vice president respectively, all they have to do is ride in their limos with police escort. Please remember; you have to deliver to the people. You are using our tax money and therefore you have an obligation to better our lives. We did not vote for you just to ride in those vehicles bought at great cost to the tax payer. You have to reflect and convince yourselves that you deserve to ride in those cars. That means you have to deliver value to the electorate. We did not give you that comfort for nothing lest you start thinking it is your entitlement. You are obliged to deliver to us that which is commensurate with the comfort you are currently enjoying…..it is not for nothing.
#Jacob.ulichikopo sana man.There is time for everything and cities are built by people.Zambians have the capacity to build their own cities.Did you want to wait for the british government to build cities everywhere in Zambia before getting independence?.This shows that you are not thinking or you want everything to be done for you.Lazy man!!
Please, educate me.
What is the difference between a city and town?
Please okay let him declare John Chinena a town.
Please don’t make me laugh, I was involved in an accident and my ribs ache when I laugh. May be Chipata, Kabwe or Chingola can be cities. Mongu, Solwezi? Certainly not! Have we run out of things to promise? Can Chama or whoever is the chola boy for Edgar quickly rummage through El’s promise bag and fish out something else?
Do people think Kasama is a bush? Come over and you get surprised better than Kabwe or mongu or Solwezi