The President was speaking today when he graced this year’s Ukusefya Pang’wena traditional ceremony of the Bemba speaking people which took place at Mungwi, east of the Boma of Kasama.
The President however commended the farming community in Northern Province for making progress in maize production, resulting in the province selling K100 billion worth of maize to the Food Reserve Agency, as compared to K72 billion sold last year, representing an increase of close to K30 billion.
President Banda further said that, in the 2010 budget, Northern Province was given the second largest allocation in the entire nation, for use in priority areas, such as the construction of the Kasama/Mbala/Mpulungu Road on which government put aside K123 billion.
The President said government released another K192 billion for use in the upgrading of the Kasama/Luwingu Road which was nearing completion, adding that government was also working on the Mbala/Nakonde Road and building a bridge at Mbesuma across the Chambeshi River.
The President further told the gathering that government would expand the runway at Kasaba Bay airport at a cost of K102 million, with a view to attract more tourists to the area and create more jobs for the local people.
President Banda said, government spent more than K40 billion in constructing health facilities nearer to people’s homes within the last three years in Northern Province, where he said 51 Doctors have been posted, including more nurses and clinical officers.
He added that government had furthermore spent a mammoth K168 billion on the construction and rehabilitation of schools in Northern Province to create more classroom space.
The President described this year’s Kusefya Pang’wena as better organized than last year’s. He wished continued good health to Paramount Chief Chitimukulu and all their royal highnesses present.
Meanwhile President Banda pledged to donate K5 million to Malole Brass Band, who he said impressed him so much with their performance.
And speaking earlier on behalf of Paramount Chief Chitimukulu, Chairman of the Kusefya Pang’wena National Committee, Bwalya Chiti thanked President Banda and his administration for their continued support towards his medical treatment, which he described as a sign of mutual love and friendship between them.
The traditional leader hailed President Banda for his mature leadership, describing him as a true pan Africanist who had contributed to conflict resolution on the continent. He thanked President Banda and his administration for the many developmental projects implemented and being implemented in Northern Province.
The traditional leader however, appealed to government to rehabilitate the hospital in Mungwi and speed up mineral exploration and the eventual actual mining activities in the region to create more jobs for the local people.
Present during the celebration of this year’s Kusefya Pang’wena ceremony were Northern Province Minister John Chinyanta, Luapula Province Minister Boniface Kawimbe, Local Government Minister Dr Eustacio Kazongo, Science and Technology Minister Dr. Brian Chituwo and Home Affairs Deputy Minister Guston Sichilima, and other senior government officials.
ZANIS
Well said Your Excellency. Was the wife battler at the ceremony. its news worthy after all. LT please inform us
Good Afternoon
Now this is what I call positive development news. Food security is first priority in every nation and the president is expected to address matters related to it.
Plus I like the fact that my province of origin is making progress in maize production, resulting in a massive surplus for the Food Reserve Agency. Well done, Bembaland!
Thanks RB i hail your speach, just cut on your trips and focus on priority areas.
Speeches, speeches, many small scale farmers have not been paid yet for last season’s harvest and its already time for a new season, how are they going to start working if their money is still with FRA? PURE AFRICAN INCOMPETENCE! BWANA!
Well done HERB.be assured of a landslide victory across bembaland next year.
For arguments sake, why didn’t RB attend the Mutomboko Ceremony while he has literally attended all traditional ceremonies in Zambia? Of all the people, why did he send the dying GK? What message did he said by so doing to the Luunda people of Kazembe? What message does that send to the people of Kazembe and Luapula Province? Was RB reacting to how the Chief refused to take the money being distributed at the Chiluba/PF Rebels Conference in Mansa? Is the President hateful to the Mwansabombwe people that he can attend all minute and smallest of the smallest traditional ceremonies but fail to attend and grace the world known Mutomboko? Why did Banda attend other countries’ ceremonies and failed to attend the Mutomboko? He took of shirts in Swazi, but fails to appear at the Mutomboko?…
Nice to know that they are working on the Mbesuma Bridge. How many mters are left to complete? How much is going to spent on the bridge? What happened to the earlier funds for the same bridge? Is the road going to be tarred?
Mbala/Nakonde road; Is this road going to be tarred? How much is going to be spent.
In my opinion, the GRZ should have tarred the road from Kafwimbi to Kasama and built a bridge at Mbesuma to shorten the journey from Nakonde to the Copperbelt. If the Kasama Luwingu road is tarred up to the junction with with the road to Kawambwa from Mansa, surely this will benefit a lot of people. What is the country going to benefit from the road from Isoka to Muyombe and Lundazi? Is it just because Thandiwe’s parents and Namugala come from there? Let us be serious.