From PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE  –

in Luangwa
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has directed the Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company (LWSC) to sort out the water problems faced by the people of Luangwa.
The President has also directed Zambia Cooperative Federation (ZCF) executive director James Chirwa to visit the area and set up a solar hammer mill plant to cushion the high price of mealie-meal in the district.
Mr Lungu was concerned with reports that people in the district were being attacked by crocodiles as they tried to draw water from the crocodile-infested Luangwa River, and that the situation could not continue unabated.
Mr Lungu said this when he addressed scores of Luangwa residents when he made a stop-over at the Luangwa Bridge as part of his Eastern Province tour.
Mr Lungu, who was accompanied by some Cabinet ministers, State House officials, Patriotic Front vice-secretary general Mumbi Phiri and Road Development Agency (RDA) chairperson Samuel Mukupa, said the people of Luangwa had been faced with water challenges for a long time now.
He challenged LWSC to ensure that the water shortage was urgently addressed so that the residents could have access to clean, safe water.
“I find that there is a problem of water here and I know there are crocodiles which eat women and children. That is why I want Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company to come here and sort out the problem of water,” Mr Lungu said.
Mr Lungu urged the people of Luangwa to promote the ‘One Zambia One Nation’ motto as it was the surest way to bring unity, love and development in the country.
He said the country could only develop when there was peace and availability of essential commodities and services such as schools and hospitals.
Mr Lungu also wondered why prices of commodities such as fish and mealie-meal were high when people were getting the fish from the nearby river.
He said he was aware that maize was coming from Nyimba, Petauke and Chipata bypassing Luangwa on its way to Lusaka, and that something needed to be done to control the situation.
Mr Lungu directed ZCF to set up a solar hammer mill plant.
He said the PF Government was taking development to all corners of the country to better the lives of the people and Luangwa was not an exception.
The President also told the residents about the Presidential Empowerment Scheme for marketeers which would be accessed in Luangwa soon.
He said the money was not a credit but a seed that could be used among the marketeers to grow their businesses.
The President urged Luangwa residents to be wary of politicians making fake promises and urged them to vote wisely.
He said the PF loved and cared for the people of Zambia because they were the ones that put the party in office.
Earlier, Ms Phiri informed Luangwa residents that Mr Lungu would be in the province up to Wednesday to tour development projects.