• PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu (second left) accompanied by Copperbelt Province Minister Mwenya Musenge (left), talks to William Nsanda (right) when he visited the funeral house for late PF stalwart Willie Nsanda in Kitwe yesterday. Picture by SALIM HENRY/STATE HOUSE

By MAYA NTANDA –

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has described late Patriotic Front (PF) stalwart Willie Nsanda, as a promoter and unifier of the party.
Mr Lungu, who visited the funeral house in Garneton residential area in Kitwe and later laid wreaths on Mr Nsanda’s grave at Nkana East cemetery, said Mr Nsanda was a gallant fighter.
He said Mr Nsanda, who was also the Road Development Agency board chairperson, played a key role as campaign manager in the 2015 elections as well as late President Michael Sata’s election.
Mr Lungu, who comforted the bereaved family, asked that God comforts and strengthens them.
After visiting the funeral house and grave, the President addressed PF Provincial leaders at Lothian House where he warned that civil servants frustrating developmental projects would be dealt with.
He said that there were some people who had refused to accept that he was the President of Zambia as well as PF Presidential candidate in last year’s elections.
The Head of State said some civil servants were hypocrites whose loyalty was somewhere else and were bent on frustrating developmental projects.
Mr Lungu, who also commended the Copperbelt Province for voting for him and the PF in the 2015 elections, called for hard work and unity to foster developmental projects for the benefit of all Zambians.
“When we just came in, there were people who set traps and pitfalls for us to fail and we caught them and those civil servants who are perpetrators of wanting us to fail, will be flushed out,” he said.
Mr Lungu urged party members to forgive and embrace everyone whether from the UPND or the MMD because it was important that the PF grows in numbers.
“The party is alive, ticking and we are giving it a new lease of life. Let us not segregate, let us keep the party, the same way we keep the church,” he said.
Mr Lungu further said he was enjoying good health and was as fit as a fiddle.
He said everyone was bound to get sick, as no one was immortal but stressed that when unwell he would inform the nation.
Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda said President Lungu was God’s choice for Zambia.
Mr Lubinda said the international community held Mr Lungu in high esteem as evidenced by the way he was hosted by his Chinese counterpart.
He urged party members to desist from violence and ensure an exemplary leadership.
Tourism Minister Jean Kapata called on party officials to defend the party when attacked by some opposition parties.
Ms Kapata said the Rainbow Party should not be taken seriously and alleged that it was founded on principles that were alien to Zambia’s Christian nation tag.
The President who held a closed door meeting with party officials, also toured the Presidential Guest house in Ndeke area.
Mr Lungu was accompanied by his special assistant for Press and public relations Amos Chanda, Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge, Government and party officials.
Earlier in Lusaka, the President visited former Cabinet minister and UNIP secretary general Grey Zulu who is admitted to Fairview Hospital.
Mr Zulu who is also former freedom fighter was admitted to the hospital before Easter for an undisclosed illness.
Mr Lungu took time to visit Mr Zulu where he spent about 20 minutes before he left for the Copperbelt.