By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has declared that he is bouncing back as President after the 2016 general elections.
President Lungu has therefore urged Members of Parliament (MPs) to work hard so that they get the people’s mandate in 2016.

•President Edgar Lungu (left) receives oath of office documents from Transport and Communications Minister Kapembwa Simbao during the swearing ceremony at State House on Thursday, October 8, 2015.Picture by EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATE HOUSE

The President was speaking yesterday when he swore in Greyford Monde as Fisheries and Livestock minister and Stephen Kampyongo as Local Government and Housing minister.
Mr Monde was, until his appointment, Agriculture and Livestock deputy minister, while Mr Kampyongo was deputy minister in the Vice-President’s office.
Mr Lungu also appointed Senga Hill MP Kapembwa Simbao as Transport and Communications Minister and swore him in yesterday, as well as Chawama MP Lawrence Sichalwe as Deputy Minister in the office of the Vice-President.
“Your adoption certificate for 2016 lies with the people, it doesn’t lie with me. It is the people who determine who wins. People is power, power is people.
“As for me, I am coming back after 2016, the question to you (MPs) is that are you coming with me,” President Lungu said.
It did not pay, Mr Lungu said, to offer the President money and sweet talk him into giving people positions because the people were the ultimate king makers.
He urged his MPs to go to their various constituencies and work hard to gain the public’s support.
Mr Lungu said it was unfortunate that some people had the view that the PF was leaving office in 2016 when the opposite was true.
He said it was important to listen to what people were saying, including taking into consideration what the opposition was saying.
Changing direction and doing what the people demanded was not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.
Mr Lungu said leaders should not be scared to apologise and to thank people whenever necessary.
After the swearing in ceremony, the President said it was important for people to tell him whenever he went wrong so that he worked on issues.
He said it was sad that Catholic Priest Joseph Mwape of Chawama Township is reported to have castigated his leadership at a Church service.
“Father Mwape is my friend; he is also your (Mr Sichalwe) friend. So find out from him where the problem with the land of the Church is,” Mr Lungu said.
He said he would not demonise the Catholic Church because of what Father Mwape had said.
In an interview afterwards, Mr Sichalwe said it was difficult to understand why Father Mwape spoke to his Parishioners when Government was open to dialogue.
He said he was waiting to hear from the Priest, who was currently out of town, so that the two could finalise matters.
Mr Kampyongo said he was happy that the President had confidence in him but said that non-performers in the councils should be ready to leave should they continue with their attitude.
He said his first call was to deal with the corruption allegations at Livingstone City Council and foster cleanliness countrywide.
Mr Monde said it was no longer time for research at the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock but to act on cutting on the import of fish and beef because Zambia was able to be self sufficient.