•VICE- PRESIDENT Guy Scott greets senior Chief Monze as Chieftainess Choongo (middle) and Chief Chikanta look on, shortly after he arrived for Lwiindi Gonde traditional ceremony in Monze yesterday. Picture by CHILA NAMAIKO

By CHILA NAMAIKO-
GOVERNMENT is scaling up infrastructure development in Southern Province with the upgrading of Monze-Niko Road starting  in September this year, Vice-President Guy Scott said.
Dr Scott said that Government had accelerated the delivery of various infrastructure projects across the province to improve the living standards of the locals.
He said the construction of Monze-Niko Road would start on September 28, this year and that it would open up more job opportunities for the locals.
Dr Scott was speaking in Monze yesterday during the Lwiindi Gonde traditional ceremony of the Tonga-speaking people also attended by United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema and several chiefs.
“As Government, we are scaling up the social cash transfer programme and this Monze-Niko Road project will take off on September 28, 2014 and we are delivering many developmental projects,” he said.
He said the Government was aware that the Kafue-Mazabuka Road was in a deplorable state and that rehabilitation works were underway to resurface it.
Dr Scott said the upgrading of palaces for traditional leaders citing Chieftainess Mwenda, Chona and Chongo were also underway.
He said Government recognised traditional ceremonies as key events in developing culture and fostering peace and unity hence it would always engage chiefs in the development process.
He said Government was aware of concerns raised by farmers on the maize floor price pegged at K70 per 50 kilogramme bag and it was holding talks with key stakeholders on the matter.
Earlier, Mr Hichilema who is Lwiindi traditional ceremony patron urged the people of Southern Province to accept Dr Scott’s apology over his recent remarks that a minority group from the province was talking about President Michael Sata’s health.
He said unity and peace should be promoted by all Zambians and that traditional ceremonies were important in reflecting the country’s cultural values and norms.
He urged Government to ensure the maize floor price was increased from K70 per 50 kilogramme.
Mr Hichilema also called for the equipping of farmers with adequate drugs for livestock protection against diseases Chief Monze urged political leaders to desist turning the ceremony into a political arena saying he would not condone those fueling confusion by ferrying political cadres to cause confusion.
“Please don’t politicise this traditional ceremony it’s not a political arena but we need to celebrate it as one,” he said.
Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe said inciting people to cause confusion was not proper leadership among politicians and what was important was to have unite among the masses.