By CHUSA SICHONE and SAM PHIRI –

CONGRATULATORY messages to President Edgar Lungu for his speech when he officially opened the fifth Session of the 11th National Assembly on Friday have continued pouring in, with various stakeholders describing it as inspiring.
Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Pukuta Mwanza described President Lungu’s speech as inspiring and one which brought hope to Zambians.
“I think generally the speech was very inspiring and that given the support from everybody, which we must do, it can move Zambia to the next level of economic development.
“What is needed at the moment is not to politicise the address to think that it is just a political speech but rather to support it because it brings a lot of hope to Zambia,” he said.
On declaration of October 18, 2015 as a day of national prayer and fasting, Reverend Mwanza said EFZ strongly supported that proclamation as that was an act of humility and faith believing that God would intervene in the various challenges the country was facing.
Rev Mwanza said President Lungu’s call for prayer and fasting should not be politicised but people should support it regardless of political affiliation or denomination by turning to God in prayer for Him to facilitate a major breakthrough in Zambia.
Rev Mwanza also described President Lungu’s move to interact with opposition Members of Parliament as patriotic and nationalistic, saying such a gesture would foster unity and was hopeful that the lawmakers took it positively.
Zambia Congress of Trade Unions president Chishimba Nkole commended President Lungu for taking a strong stance against casualisation of labour, describing his directive as feasible and a step in the right direction.
Mr Nkole, however, said there was need for a clause which would compel employers to give tangible reasons for terminating employment.
“For a long time now, we have been mounting pressure on the Minister of Labour and we have always been getting those promises but today all of us witnessed where the President directed the Minister of Labour to amend the Act,” he said.
Mr Nkole, like Rev Mwanza, also praised President Lungu for splitting some ministries as that would make them more focused.
He described Mr Lungu as the first courageous sitting President to make unprecedented selfless pronouncements of sacrificing his benefits for the sake of the country.
Zambia Union of Financial and Allied Workers (ZUFIAW) acting general secretary Edna Hacuuma said the union was equally elated at the President’s wish to end casualisation and other forms of injustice at work places by directing Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda to table the Employment Amendment Bill in Parliament.
“We are very much encouraged as a union to hear the Head of State make such a firm pronouncements. It has taken a long journey of broad-based consultations and discussions with various stakeholders.
“We are happy today that Government, being a member of the tripartite labour consultative council, is today committing itself to ensuring that we have labour laws that adequately protect the interests of the Zambian workers,” she said.
Ms Hacuuma said the labour movement was also happy that President Lungu exhibited compassion and that the speech echoed a serious desire to improve the nation’s fortunes and those of its citizens.
ZUFIAW, however, wanted Government to give workers in formal employment tax relief.
Young African Leaders Initiative president Andrew Ntewewe said President Lungu’s speech was “very inspiring”, which gave the country hope, an opportunity to reflect and act and envisioned a developed country by 2064 if the pronouncements were implemented.