Thursday, March 28, 2024

Lungu says government won’t interfere in council operations

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President Edgar  Lungu signs a Roll at Honourary Freeman of the Chipata Municipality at Civic Centre, Looking is town Clerk Davies Musenge and mayor Mr Jealous Phiri on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE  BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
President Edgar Lungu signs a Roll at Honourary Freeman of the Chipata Municipality at Civic Centre, Looking is town Clerk Davies Musenge and mayor Mr Jealous Phiri on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.

President Edgar Lungu says government will not interfere with the operations of councils concerning their approved levies in order to gain political mileage.

President Lungu observed that government interference on council levies has been affecting the revenue base for local authorities hence they have not been operating efficiently.

He said this in Chipata today when he was conferred with the honour of free man of the municipality of Chipata.

Mr. Lungu cited the abolishing of the bicycle and crop levies by the previous government as a move that affected the Chipata municipal council’s revenue collection.

President Lungu becomes the third President to be conferred with the free man of Chipata municipal council after first President Kenneth Kaunda and South African President Jacob Zuma.

Mr. Lungu pledged to uphold the confidence and trust that the Chipata municipal council has bestowed on him.

And Mr. Lungu has said government has started implementing the revised national decentralisation policy in phases with effect from January 2015.
Mr. Lungu said the implementation of the revised national decentralization policy was the pledge of successful performance in the pursuance of the Patriotic Front (PF) manifesto.

The President said he was convinced that the implementation of the policy will not only strengthen the operations of local authorities but also fortify the country’s democratic dispensation through inclusive governance.

And Mr. Lungu has said government has shown strong commitment to strengthening the local government system through increased budgetary allocation to the sector.

He reaffirmed government’s commitment to support the local government system in order to better the lives of the people in the country.

Meanwhile, President Lungu has urged the people of Eastern Province to remain united and uphold the ‘one Zambia: one nation’ unifying motto.

Speaking when he arrived at Chipata airport this morning, President Lungu thanked the people of Eastern province for the support rendered to him prior to the January 20 presidential elections.

The Head of State was met on arrival at the airport by Eastern Province Minister Malozo Sichone, opposition MMD Kasenengwa Member of Parliament Victoria Kalima and her Chipata central counterpart Mtolo Phiri and many other senior government officials.

The President is in Eastern province to among other programmes officiate at tomorrow’s Nc’wala traditional ceremony of the Ngoni speaking people.

The President is accompanied by Minister of Local Government and Housing John Phiri, Minister of Tourism and Arts Jean Kapata and Minister of Youth and Sport Vincent Mwale.

President Edgar Lungu Honourary Freeman of the Chipata  joins in the Ngoni dance at the Civic Centre after the Ceremony on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE .BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
President Edgar Lungu Honourary Freeman of the Chipata joins in the Ngoni dance at the Civic Centre after the Ceremony on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE .BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
Chipata Mayor Mr Jealous Phiri with President Edgar Lungu Honourary Freeman of the Chipata  and Chipata Town Clerk Mr Davies Musenge on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE .BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
Chipata Mayor Mr Jealous Phiri with President Edgar Lungu Honourary Freeman of the Chipata and Chipata Town Clerk Mr Davies Musenge on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE .BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
President Edgar Lungu Honourary Freeman of the Chipata  joins in the Ngoni dance at the Civic Centre after the Ceremony on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE .BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
President Edgar Lungu Honourary Freeman of the Chipata joins in the Ngoni dance at the Civic Centre after the Ceremony on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE .BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
President Edgar Lungu  in Chipata presated with Ngoni War gear by Mr Noel Nkhoma at Chipata airport  on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE .BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
President Edgar Lungu in Chipata presated with Ngoni War gear by Mr Noel Nkhoma at Chipata airport on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE .BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
President Edgar Lungu Honourary Freeman of the Chipata  joins in the Ngoni dance at the Civic Centre after the Ceremony on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE .BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
President Edgar Lungu Honourary Freeman of the Chipata joins in the Ngoni dance at the Civic Centre after the Ceremony on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE .BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
Chipata Mayor Mr Jealous Phiri signs a roll of President Edgar Lungu Honourary Freeman of the Chipata at the Civic Centre, Looking on is the President and Chipata Town Clerk Mr Davies Musenge on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE .BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
Chipata Mayor Mr Jealous Phiri signs a roll of President Edgar Lungu Honourary Freeman of the Chipata at the Civic Centre, Looking on is the President and Chipata Town Clerk Mr Davies Musenge on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE .BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
Ngoni Warroir celebrates as President Edgar  Lungu signs a Roll at Honourary Freeman of the Chipata Municipality at Civic Centre, Looking is town Clerk Davies Musenge and mayor Mr Jealous Phiri on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE  BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
Ngoni Warroir celebrates as President Edgar Lungu signs a Roll at Honourary Freeman of the Chipata Municipality at Civic Centre, Looking is town Clerk Davies Musenge and mayor Mr Jealous Phiri on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
President Edgar  Lungu signs a Roll at Honourary Freeman of the Chipata Municipality at Civic Centre, Looking is town Clerk Davies Musenge and mayor Mr Jealous Phiri on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE  BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
President Edgar Lungu signs a Roll at Honourary Freeman of the Chipata Municipality at Civic Centre, Looking is town Clerk Davies Musenge and mayor Mr Jealous Phiri on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
President Edgar  Lungu signs a Roll at Honourary Freeman of the Chipata Municipality at Civic Centre, Looking is town Clerk Davies Musenge and mayor Mr Jealous Phiri on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE  BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
President Edgar Lungu signs a Roll at Honourary Freeman of the Chipata Municipality at Civic Centre, Looking is town Clerk Davies Musenge and mayor Mr Jealous Phiri on Friday 27-02-2015. PICTURE BY EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.

16 COMMENTS

  1. Very smart ECL, let councils operate autonomously. They have an ear to the ground of their communities. They know best what is needed at the micro level than some bureaucrat from far out of town. Very Wise… VIVA ECL!!!!

    • Many have tried and failed. The is mere rhetoric. A leader with no vision depending on a so called legacy. An embarrassment of a president

  2. For a president to “make” sense in Zambia he has to make a chain of non achievable promises every week so that he appears to be working.if realizes that his relevance reduces,he gives a new promise even without fulfilling the previous ones.A ” hard working president” in zambia is measured by the promises and appointments he makes.as the old adage goes! A promise is a comfort to a fool.

    • Very true. This is just mere rhetoric because no one in Zambia has the capability to show him metrics a year from now to measure the extent of success of these empty promises

    • Well, our point exactly about ALL THOSE PROMISES HH made during campaign.

      I mean there were some fantasy promises each day.

      At least His Excellency is NOT promising in this matter. He actually is putting it to test. Promising is what HH did. This is action. Decentralising aspects of gov’t control in the regions.

    • So, PATRIOT. To follow your logic, HH should have “put his ideas to test”?

      Do you see how illogical your argument is?

      One has to be president first, right?

  3. Councils are the waste drain bag in this country, they eat anything in their way and claim they don’t have funds, where and how is CDF used? Funds for water and sanitation don’t have tangible benefits for the people. These are people who claim not to be paid for 6 months but they don’t resign they are as fit as a fiddle. Councils have failed to think outside the box and are always crying for the usual instead of venturing into PPPs they can co run a shopping mall, housing etc

  4. Gud indeed but I wish he cud let the police work independently as well……why comment on Matapa’s death your Excellency?

  5. I thought these traditional ceremonies were under the jurisdiction of the minister of Chiefs and traditinal affiars.Why was the minster left out bwana President Lungu.When you are talking of one Zambia one nation you only include Vincent Mwale,John Phiri what are sending to the massess?

    can you balance tribes on your trips with the specific minister in that ministry.

    • 666 does not mean anything.

      Case in point: What happened in 666 BC? or Better still, what happened in 666 AD?

      Nothing!

      Try another one: What happens when the speedometer on your car registers 666? What would you of somebody gave you K666? or 666 liters of gasoline?

      See how ridiculous your 666 theory is?

  6. How can Mutolo and Kalima welcome Lungu when they both refused to support him in the Jan 20 elections? Both of them supported HH. As for Mutolo, he was busy funding HH through his brother who is Eastern Province Vice chairman. Mutolo was very sure that he would be appointed minister through the intervention of RB, but it failed when Edgar was advised by OP that he supported HH.

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