By SYLVESTER MWALE in Chibombo

.President Lungu (second left)

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has said he will not respond to insults and provocation because people will not know who is a fool between him and those throwing insolence at him on the mere fact that he is the Head of State.
“If you insult me and I insult you back, what do I get or what do you get?” asked President Lungu when he addressed scores of residents at John Chinena grounds in Chibombo yesterday.
“It was only yesterday that someone brought a video showing someone insulting me and the police said he should be arrested but I said, ‘no leave him, because we’ll not get anything from that.”
Mr Lungu said he would not be distracted by those that were incessantly insulting him because his agenda was to deliver development to the Zambian people.
He said there was need for people to forget about the 2016 elections and focus on development by working with his Government even when people belonged to opposition political parties.
He said there was no need for some people to live in denial that he was the President because the majority Zambians had recognised him and committed to vote for him again in 2021.
Mr Lungu also said it was folly and against the teaching of the Bible for some people to believe or think that the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) could only be led by founding members.
He said the party had continued to grow every day and one did not need to be rich or son of the chief in order to assume the leadership of the party.
President Lungu earlier inspected the ongoing construction of 2,000 market shelters for road traders at John Chinena under the High Way Integrated Market Project in the office of the Vice-President.
The K1.3 million project, which started in 2016, is aimed at improving infrastructure for traders on the roadside ahead of the expansion into the dual carriageway of the Great North Road.
Private Secretary in the office of the Vice-President Sheila Siwela said the project was crucial in improving the household economies for the people through improved infrastructure.
Ms Siwela said the project, which is being funded by Stanbic Bank had received massive support from the community because it is being driven by the community.
Market chairperson Sera Kunda said traders were grateful for the modern market but appealed for financial support under the Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund (PEIF).
Meanwhile, President Lungu has expressed anger at the stagnation of the Chibombo Police Station due to what he termed failure by the local leadership to push for the release of funds.
The K8.1 million project by ZamChin started in 2015 but stalled from 2016 due to none payment of K3.1 million.
Mr Lungu took a swipe at the local leadership, including area Member of Parliament Princess Kasune, for failing to engage the Ministry of Finance to release the funds for the completion of the project.
He also addressed party supporters at Chibombo council grounds where he donated K5,000 to each of the 19 wards in the two constituencies and K10,000 to each of the two constituencies in the district.