President Edgar Lungu has launched Lot 2 of the integrated small towns water supply and sanitation project which he said will ease the sufferings of the people in Mpika and Nakonde districts in Muchinga province when completed.

The President said his administration was aware that good water supply was essential in alleviating poverty and fighting diseases such as dysentery and cholera in Zambia.

President Lungu noted that water plays a critical role in the country’s socio-economic development hence his government decided to facilitate citizens’ easy access to clean and safe water and adequate sanitation services.

“You, the residents of Muchinga province, in particular, Mpika and Nakonde districts have cried to successive governments for help without success. Well, now your prayers have been answered. This project will end the perennial water blues you have suffered from,” he said during the launch of the project in Mpika yesterday.

He reiterated that the supply of clean water to the people of Zambia and good sanitary facilities remained top on the Patriotic Front (PF) government’s development agenda in accordance to the seventh National Development Plan (7NDP).

“In this regard, our target is that all citizens must have access to clean and safe water supply by the year 2030. And also our target is that 90 percent of our population must access sanitation services by the year 2030,” he emphasised.

The President explained that the Lot 2 of the integrated small towns water supply and sanitation project was one of the many projects which his government has embarked on to address challenges of water supply and good sanitation in Zambia.

The Lot 2 integrated small towns water supply and sanitation project, which is jointly financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Zambian government, will gobble US$17 million at its completion.

The project will involve the construction and rehabilitation of water and sanitation infrastructure comprising building water intakes and a water treatment plant at Malashi and the construction of water storage tanks in Chitulika and Kamwanya areas in Mpika district.

Other facilities that will be constructed under the same project include water distribution networks, sewage ponds and sewer networks while existing water infrastructure will undergo rehabilitation.

President Lungu said these installations will result in more residents of Mpika district accessing clean and safe water supply and sanitation services.

“Once the project is completed, it will enable Chambeshi water supply and sanitation company to increase water supply hours from 11 hours to 22 hours to the residents of Mpika district.

The company is also expected to increase water supply coverage to the residents of Mpika district from 45 percent to 95 percent and sanitation services from 25 percent to 40 percent respectively,” he explained.

The Head of State further said the project will also directly employ 650 skilled and unskilled people adding that more jobs will be created in other sectors that will benefit from the improved water supply and sanitation services when the project is completed.

“With this project, I am convinced that there will be improved business opportunities for local contractors and other Zambian contractors and suppliers of goods and services. Local contractors and suppliers will benefit from the 20 percent subcontracting policy, translating into US$3.72 million from the main contract sum of US$17 million,” he said.

And President Lungu said his government has resolved to embark on an aggressive programme to alleviate challenges of water supply through expanding, constructing and developing water infrastructure such as dams, boreholes, and building water schemes.

He said this programme is aimed at countering the threats posed by climate change which he said has caused poor rainfall and reduced water levels in Zambia’s water bodies, a situation that has negatively affected the people.

“My government will continue to provide necessary support to the water sector as we now focus on achieving Sustainable Development Goals and ensure all our people access both water and sanitation. This is not an easy undertaking, but we believe that with support from various stakeholders and cooperating partners, we will achieve this target,” he said.

He has since thanked the African Development Bank for co-financing the Lot 2 integrated small towns water supply and sanitation project saying he was looking forward for more cooperation with and support from the bank in similar projects in future.

President Lungu further thanked other cooperating partners for supporting other various water supply and sanitation projects in the country.

The President has since returned to Lusaka after ending his four-days working visit to Muchinga province.

Health Minister Dr. Jonas Chanda has said that Government will engage its legal team to investigate and prosecute those who were involved in the supply of defective condoms and substandard drugs.

Dr. Chanda has also given a one-week ultimatum to Medical Stores Limited and the Zambia Medicines Regulated Authority (ZAMRA) to submit a report indicating how many substandard medical supplies have been recalled.

Dr. Chanda said that he will not tolerate anything that will harm the people and that punitive measures need to be imposed on all those involved in the supply of such medical products.

Dr. Jonas Chanda directed the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) and the Medical Stores Limited (MSL) to issue a report on all the recalled medical products.

Dr. Chanda said that the move is meant to ensure there is a good inventory of all the counterfeit products in the last 12 months in order to protect lives and pave a way forward in terms of restoring public confidence in the country’s health sector.

And Dr. Chanda has called for strict border security that will bring a stop to the entry of counterfeit medical supplies for the safety of Zambians.

He made the remarks when he toured the two facilities and called for total transparency and accountability in the management of public health issues.

He said tightening border security will be a good preventive measure to ensure entry of medical products is restricted at points of entry to avoid recalls or exposure of defective products to the general public.

“Our duty is to protect the lives of the general public from sub-standard products and we need to emphasize regulation, prevention, and then protection,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Chanda disclosed that he will soon sign the commencement order that will actualize the transformation of the Medical Stores Limited to Zambia Medicines and Medical Supply Agency (ZAMMSA) that will see the procurement process be moved from the Ministry of Health to the Medical Stores Limited in order to enhance efficiency.

He says the move will also promote transparency and accountability and also address issues in the medical supply chain such as the shortage of essential medicines among others.
He further says with the signed document, will also help to promote local manufacturing of drugs in order to be medically self-reliant as a country to avoid being victims of counterfeit medical supplies being imported into the country through illegal means by illegal suppliers.

“Statistics indicating that 30% of medicines are counterfeit is a call for action to ensure all loopholes are sealed by setting good standards to avoid unscrupulous suppliers taking advantage of people through black markets,” Dr. Chanda said and called for immediate cancellation and termination of contracts and licenses for unscrupulous suppliers.

Meanwhile, when he toured Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Chanda called for the review of the procurement process to ensure essential machinery such as the CT scan at the facility which has not been fully functional due to procurement challenges is restored to operational status.

He took advantage of the same tour to update the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic and disclosed that 1,120 new cases were recorded out of 9,809 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, while 13 deaths were recorded with discharges standing at 1,145.

President Edgar Lungu says it is a pure insult to claim that Zambians cannot run mines as they managed mines before privatization.

“Let me emphasize that we won’t allow those claiming that they will sell back the mines which we have bought off from investors,” he said.

President Lungu said the PF Government had worked hard in many spheres thereby encouraging Zambians that they did not need to change a winning team.

“Investors wanted to put mines on care and maintenance which would have affected many workers and we’re proud of our record as PF in terms of development and protecting the interests of workers,” he said.

In a special interview with veteran broadcasters Simon Mwila and Francis Ndovi on Delight Radio in Chinsali District today, the Head of State said the PF Government had strengthened the winning formula while amending ideas that did not work.

“Government has in the last few years tremendously improved distribution of farming inputs,” he said.

The Head of State also said a lot of the underprivileged people were making a living out of the Social Cash Transfer adding that Government would ensure that more people benefit.

“The PF Government embarked on Link Zambia 8000 which is transforming lives and more time is needed to mobilize resources to complete all projects,” he said.

President Lungu urged traditional and church leaders to remain neutral as they are parents to all regardless of tribe or political affiliation.

“When my time comes to leave in 2026 the PF will lookout for another person but let me warn that no one will be allowed to cause violence in Zambia regardless of political affiliation,” he said.

President Lungu urged aspiring candidates for Parliamentary elections to avoid character assassination of incumbent Members of Parliament but market themselves well.