PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu says while people say Zambia’s economy is not booming, there are activities which indicate that there is money in the economy and that people are living well.
The President was speaking when he commissioned the Munali flyover on Great East Road in Lusaka yesterday.
Present at the event were India’s High Commissioner to Zambia Ngulkham Jathom Gangte, Lusaka mayor Miles Sampa, local government minister Charles Banda, fisheries and livestock minister Nkandu Luo and information permanent secretary Amos Malupenga.
Others were local government permanent secretary Matthew Ngulube, Lusaka Province minister Bowman Lusambo, PF secretary general and national chairperson Davies Mwila and Samuel Mukupa respectively, among others.
President Lungu said he remained grateful to the people and government of India for their continued partnership and support in changing the lives of Zambians.
He bragged about his government’s “huge strides” in infrastructural development, “yet this is only the beginning.”
“As we transform the face of Lusaka, our country’s capital city and main economic hub, I wish to assure you that we’ll not leave the rest of our towns – whether urban or rural – behind,” President Lungu said. “The significance of the Lusaka decongestion project cannot be over-emphasised. This project was necessitated by increased congestion in Lusaka arising from increased number of vehicles on the roads.”
He noted that talk of increased number of vehicles on the roads, it reminded him of one thing; the economy.
“People will tell you that the economy is not booming, yet activities which indicate that there’s money in the economy and people are living well are there for all to see,” President Lungu said.
“This is the contradiction of our political activity where we see white [but] you see black.”
He added that through the Lusaka City decongestion project, the PF government was improving mobility and access for people in Lusaka.
President Lungu said the decongestion project had created over 1,000 direct jobs, including several business opportunities for Zambians in different sectors.
“Through this project, families have been enabled to earn an income and sustain their lives,” he said.
“My government, through the Lusaka decongest project, has provided entrepreneurial opportunities for various Zambian companies which have been sub-contracted by the main contractor, AFCONS, to provide various services.”
Meanwhile, the President said the Munali flyover would work wonders to those driving to the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and others traversing the area for business.
“Let us remain focused on our good works and the Zambian people who mean well will judge us on the 12th of August 2021,” said President Lungu.
“I heard someone say that ‘roads cannot change people’s lives.’ [But] to the contrary, people’s lives have been changed for the better. The good news is that the transformation we are seeing today is for all to see. Those who don’t see [it] are doing so deliberately and ignore them.”