Hakainde does not lie, says Nalumango
By Bright Tembo in Kaputa and Oliver Chisenga in Mbala
VICE-PRESIDENT Mutale Nalumango says the new dawn government will deliver on promises it gave to the people when asking for votes last year.
Speaking on arrival in Kaputa Constituency, Northern Province on Thursday, Vice-President Nalumango asked the residents to be patient.
She was received by Kaputa UPND member of parliament, who is also sports minister, Elvis NKandu and other senior government and ruling party officials.
Vice-President Nalumango said among the promises made by the UPND was the grading of the 150-kilometre gravel road from Kashikishi in Luapula Province to Kaputa.
“You people who believe in what you are doing, the time that some never believed that you can change government; others doubted but you brought this government and made the whole country to be lucky,” Vice-President Nalumango who is touring Kaputa district to thank the people for the 2021 electoral victory said. “You held on to UPND while others doubted until you won here in Kaputa. And I know people here you are complaining about the road and hunger. Me and your MP Elvis Nkandu we are residents here and we also feel your pain. Even when I came to campaign, I talked about the road. And please let’s be patient. If we rush, we might even lose the little we have in our hands. You worked by putting us in power and we are going to work.”
She said President Hakainde Hichilema does not lie, hence the campaign promises would be delivered.
“What we promised you people with President Hakainde (Hichilema) we will deliver. Hakainde does not lie. What he says is what will happen and it will happen. Just like the road, we will not forget and while I am saying this even the Ministry of Infrastructure will come visit the state of the road. You have two MPs in Nkandu and me, so we will fight till you see the road,” she said.
Vice-President Nalumango added that in less than one year the new dawn government had already started to deliver on its promises.
She advised Kaputa residents to dismiss baseless criticism from bitter souls.
“Less than one year we have given you free education which others thought it was a waste of money. They thought putting money in their pockets was development. But when you take a child to school that’s what we call investment. I am here because there was free education. That’s why we have put free education as number one,” she said. “It’s not only that teachers and nurses are being employed, even cleaners and others are all being employed at once using the budget that stated in January. And over 41,000 will be employed and they should tell us the number of teachers they employed in 10 years. They are coming to you and lying that we are not working! All what I have mentioned is it not working? People of Kaputa, don’t allow them to come and lie to you like chiwa uufwaya kushinina ubufi (like Satan who wants to convict people falsely).”
Meanwhile, Vice-President Nalumango said the worst civil service is a politicised one.
Addressing heads of government departments in Mbala and Nsama districts on Thursday, she said civil servants as actual implementers of government projects were supposed to be extremely stable and not partisan.
“You should not be politicians in offices. It’s very dangerous. Never fight the policies of government. If you are an impediment to this development then you don’t deserve to be in that office,” Vice-President Nalumango warned.
She urged the various heads of department to be professional in their work, further stating that prudent use of resources, including human
resource, was cardinal and the cornerstone of a successful nation.
“Whatever comes in your hands in the name of your job use it with diligence. So we are talking of prudent usage of resources and that includes human resource. So ensure that everybody does their part. You are heads of department but when we say let us stop wastage, sometimes we even use law to perpetuate wastage and corruption. So let your conscious also be present,” Vice-President Nalumango said. “We are saying we will fight corruption. So if you are found to be corrupt, don’t think you will be our friend particularly now that we are in office.”
She noted that being in procurement was in itself tempting to many.
Vice-President Nalumango said it was not easy for an officer who did not have a million in his bank account to fairly give another deserving citizen a million kwacha contract against a friend or relative who probably has no capacity to deliver.
“That is a test of your professionalism. The fear of God and love for Zambia. I am praying that the Lord helps all of us to do well and the right thing. There should be no wastage but prudent use of resources,” she said.
Vice-President Nalumango noted that it was corruption and wastage of resources that had delayed the country’s development.
She said she had never seen a person as committed to developing the country as President Hichilema.
“This government is committed to fighting corruption. I am very passionate about developing our country,” said Vice-President Nalumango.
From Nsama, Vice-President Nalumango immediately flew into Mpulungu where she also encouraged heads of department to be the shining example of an ideal civil service.
Vice-President Nalumango said an attitude of service was the only sure way of developing the country and that it should start with one’s assertiveness towards work.