Northwestern Provincial Minister Kenneth Chipungu has reaffirmed government’s commitment to electrify all chiefs palaces in the Province.
Mr. Chipungu said this when he visited chiefs Nyakaseya and Ikelenge of Mwinilunga district over the weekend.
Mr. Chipungu said government has managed to electrify some chiefs palaces in the Province and will continue with the exercise until all the palaces were done.
The Provincial Minister said the palaces which were not connected to power will be installed with solar panels.
Mr. Chipungu said apart from the electrification of their palaces, government is also committed to improve all the roads leading to their palaces and improve on the delivery of social services especially in the health and education sectors in their chiefdoms.
Mr. Chipungu noted that traditional leaders were important as they are partners in development.
Mr. Chipungu has since appealed to traditional leaders to encourage their subjects to grow more food to avert hunger for their livelihood.
Electricity has being around since 600 BC and since the 1600’s as we know it now. Its about time we all move on with time.
WELL ITS LONG OVERDUE HOPE ZESCOLO WONT FAIL THE KANABESAS
Yes Iyaah! So the bigger heads are capable of making good decisions too! Light up dem palace an make sure unnu gi dem di flat screen, internet, DVD and Jacuzzi aswell, seen!
Why not also electrify villages. This sounds suspicious to me.
electricity should be expanded only if its in the national interest and economically viable. talk of priorities being dispositioned!!! get power to the economic sectors first before you do your political ‘surgery’. i bet its all to win votes!!!
All villagers need electricity. Did you know how many trees this could save us? We continue to lose trees at an alarming rate in rural areas. It is good news for chiefs but bad for our grand parents etc. Another vote buying strategy from rural areas?
Just imagine a spark on a grass tharched roof?????????
Imwe they need malaiti too much koloboyi
#6, progressive thinker. I agree completely. But can you imagine the dilemma of these chaps spending all night trying to blow out a light-bulb?
PLUS … street lights would go a long way in thwarting the aerial movements of witches and wizards at night.
It is true that chiefs need lights, but is it a priority and a viable programme. Is it sustainable programme? There are several settlements in Zambia where people are capable of paying for that service but ZESCO does not take electricity in those areas. Why? You talk of town being congested this partially due to poor infrastructure in rural areas. Tuyanda malaiti muma settlements and we are willing and can afford to pay for it. For example, there are four or so settlements around Choma without electricity. Many people are willing to becoming from their settlements to work in town.
Trikle down effect boys and girls.Once electrcity reaches the chiefs palace the subjects will access it through the same grid.
Electrifying not only chiefs palaces but all zambia’s villages have been long overdue. Why electrify chiefs palaces, only? Electrify the whole country so that whoever builds a proper house can simply tap in electricity.
Why shuld countries where zesco export power have their villages electrified. Its unfortunate that zesco has a bunch of directors (mgt) who have no idea when more power will be neededin the country. To them the building/rebulding of mines was a shock. Dont be used for votes. Just wake up and give Zambians what they deserve regardess of where they live.
Why not electrify all schools at first so that these kids have a chance for a smart future, instead of worrying about old, useless and politically parasitic fellows called chiefs whose history is riddled with selling their own people into slavery and grasping mirrors from foreigners in exchange for assets from their own chiefdoms? Levy loves old exploitative history as his landmark. Sad that he has become completely detached from reality for the vast majority of Zambians. Blinded by unimaginable power and money I imagine.
This is just campaign strategy to mentain the rural vote that urshered in Levy`s second term.For the MMD,it`s cheaper to simply appease a few individuals and get assured of the entire rural vote.Why not electrify the entire province in order for the general populous to benefit.This would be an incentive of attracting indegenous investment in such forsaken areas.It`s an embarrassment that in such modern times,most of the rural areas still don`t have access to clean running water and electricity.
#15: You are correct. It is common knowledge that Levy did not win in E. Province but for Rupiah Banda using his dark days’ experience by ensuring that all election’s polling officials were in his paybook for Levy. This is how he ensured the vice-presidency for himself. What is shocking is that these people – mmd think that what is good for them (rigging elections) is bad for Mugabe. This is dangerous hypocricy as I see Mugabe tomorrow aiding opposition leaders in Zed against Levy and his henchmen.
#14 and 15 i agree with you and its only in zambia where ive seen unequality of people and according to me the people put chiefs i power as there would be no chief without people so why not serve the people first or better yet d entire village for Christs sake
So electricity is now free for all in Zambia while you are currently load shedding. What are your priorities? Hospitals, schools or palaces? At the moment, ZESCo is importing poles from Zim. It is high time you encouraged the underground cable system in towns to reduce on the use of expensive poles. The forests are becoming deserts because we are good at harvesting but not planting. Most of plantations left in colonial days are never replenished by planting new ones. Trees take not less than 10 years to reach the right size for electric poles.
GOOD STUNT MMD ON TRYING TO PROMOTE MAUREEN AS THE NEXT PRESIDENT..MWENKUSA MWE!!!!!!
These are just politics. Vote buying from the the rural populace. Continue. Come what 2011 and you will see.
The gov should also pass a law making all future chiefs be educated to at least grade 12 level before taking the throne. This is to make them better informed when advising their subjects on who to vote for. The situation now is that theives buy these illitrate chiefs chitenges ,shake shake and fake watches to get their subjects to vote for them
Ba Sata, yakakana! Chuchu aamba ukuteya iikali! Alateela bola ya mumulu! Work hard and put the ball on the ground! Otherwise, ama rural yaledensa again! Ama chiefs yakalaeba fye ati MMD yalitupelako ne myotoka! Arrest Chuchu for disguised “open” corruption.
Fellow Zedians, I fail to understand as Zambians why we have collective amnesia. Sata is the wrong person for president. Have you forgotten how as MMD secretary got K2bn for distribution amongst MMD cadres and bribed chiefs throughout Zambia using Paul Tembo who was eliminated before he blew the whistle? Sata expelled the 43 from the MMD in the hope of suceeding FTJ before he wa dribbled. Why has Sata up to now failed to get back his dollars confisticated in South Africa? Sata was FTJ’s spin doctor…..uwenda na ngoshe e u mubeya.
Comrades on this blog.Am not happy that no one recognises me ever since i joined this blog;therefore i have decided to change my name to My Exallence Dr Monko Sc the son to levy.
Please recognise me now since am the son to levy and a Dr.I need your respect just like you respect shakafake but not in that sense.at least suggest a head line with my name to the post.Am very handsome atleast my wife says so.If looks are a requirement for the next president then i will contest come 2011.Just go for the most handsome thats me.But am not ready to post my photo lest you are disappointed.
Police in chipata just confiscated bicycles because people are ignorant of non existant road rules or riding code of conduct. how then can we expect people in villages (chiefs included)to understand the necessary safety requirements that go along with electricity usage? And as #7 observed, imagine the consequences of a spark on grass thatched roofs! I’m afraid a lot of people will be electrocuted when it rains or from simple mistakes as a result of ignorance.Plus if its only chiefs to get it ther will be more violent succession battles in places like Petauke!A comprehensive national plan of electrification to include safer architectural designs in villages is what we should be talking about.
#24, take your dry comedy to a different site. We have no time for anti-presidential jokes.