By REBECCA MUSHOTA in Mpika –
CHIEF Nabwalya of the Bisa-speaking people in Nabwalya area of Mpika has said President Edgar Lungu is the saviour that Zambians have been waiting for.
The chief said his subjects had had numerous challenges for decades which Mr Lungu had started addressing.
Chief Nabwalya was speaking yesterday when President Lungu visited him at his palace.
The Head of State was treated to a thunderous welcome by the residents, whose area had been cut off due to an impassable road resulting from flooding of streams.
The chief, who walked all the way to the entrance to receive Mr Lungu, said the President was a light that had shone on the area.
“Like the Jews that were told of the coming of their Messiah and were waiting for him, we were also waiting for a saviour,” Chief Nabwalya said.
He said there were many problems that ministers and other Government officials had failed to deal with that he believed President Lungu would tackle.
Mr Lungu said he was happy for the warm welcome by the traditional leader and the people of Nabwalya.
He said he was aware that the area could only be accessed by air due to the bad state of the road.
“The area will remain undeveloped for as long as there is no road. Even to build anything, you need to bring in building materials and so you need a road. That is why we have started building a road from Mfuwe to here,” Mr Lungu said.
He said his Government was paying more attention to roads, as they had the capacity to open up areas to development.
Mr Lungu attended a church service at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Nabwalya.
Parish priest Potrapelule Waldemar said things in the area had started changing for the better.
He said it was impractical for things to change almost instantly, adding that change took time.
Father Waldemar said the people of Nabwalya should also do their part.
Mr Lungu was accompanied by Patriotic Front (PF) deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri, State House Deputy Minister Mulenga Sata, Muchinga Province Minister and area member of Parliament Mwimba Malama, and the President’s special assistants, among them for Press Amos Chanda and for politics, Kaizer Zulu.
Mr Lungu also visited Katibunga Boarding School, which was still under construction, and Katibunga Monastery.