PRESIDENT Lungu says he wants to be the best President that Zambia has ever had by doing his best for the country.
He is Zambia’s sixth President and he says he has an opportunity to show his potential given the time and conditions.
“I can’t compete with those that are gone but I think, given my time and conditions, I would like to be the best President that Zambia has ever seen,” President Lungu said.
The President was speaking at State House yesterday when he met recipients of the Mandela Fellowship for the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) from across the country.
Mr Lungu said as a person who loves taking up challenges, he would do his best to ensure that he makes a difference in his tenure.
“I will take up the challenge and do my best to ensure that I make a difference. I am a listening person and I find answers by listening and others find answers by question,” President Lungu said.
He said one thing he refuses is to die with unexploited potential adding that Zambia’s transformation is dependent on everyone’s potential and abilities.
“A good number of people in my generation have been buried with the potential in them. I don’t think the potential should just pass our generation, we need to ensure that we take advantage of the opportunities we have and be the change we want to see,” the President said.
Mr Lungu told the Mandela Fellows to take advantage of the fellowship in order to bring change in their various communities.
“With this opportunity of being identified by the fellowship, use it to bring out the potential and let the potential blossom and transform your lives and the communities you come from,” President Lungu said.
He said he is happy with the fellowship, which has identified the potential in Zambia’s young people.
“I didn’t know I would be a lawyer. I didn’t know I would be a politician but I knew I could do something to contribute to my community, so as recipients of the fellowship exploit your potential and whatever you are doing you can always do it better. With this opportunity you have, do the best and exploit your potential,” he said.
Earlier, United States (US) Ambassador to Zambia Eric Shultz said 42 young Zambians had benefitted from the fellowship.
Mr Shultz said applications received showed that Zambian youths are smart and have the potential to excel.
Good advice from the President if he walks the talk. On a light note, so his predecessors used to travel abroad with a larger delegation than 256, a number he won’t wish to surpass. Just asking.
Edgar is already the worst president Zambia has had and will ever have. This is the guy that has no feeling for the suffering majority because how else does he approve purchase of 157 4×4 cars for DCs, establishes 5 new Ministries when clearly gov t has no capacity, travels to NY on a chartered plane when kids are dying from preventable diseases. Edgar’s biggest achievement has been to compete with the Malawian president on who is leading the biggest delegation to NY!
Very well spoken Mr President, its always best in knowing there is potential in everyone, and better still more importantly for youths to realize they are all unique and have a purpose to fulfill, very well spoken.
Washout!! Even me I didn’t know that I was going to be a ka drunkard that I am. Everybody knows my potential.
That is all you have time for Mr President meeting Chiefs and Small children. Why dont you come and meet us the youths at Colleges and University. Dont come and hand pick a few who will sing praise for you. We shall tell you how much hunger and poverty this country is going through.
Not with the caliber of ministers and stuff you have. Some are Gunmen, shooting indiscriminately in public like zulu and Chama then you kambwili who goes on air and acts like a teenage hooligan high on ganja. Then there is Amos chanda issuing statements he seems to have written whilst drunk. Then you have ministers who do not know that we import eggs, chickens and bread which fall under thier portfolios.
ni hatred chabe…zimangilile naku malilo tibwela *****, th fact of th matter is things r bad n ECL wld ve been replaced in 2016. th problem at th moment is we dont ve any1 beta- fact!!!these vocalists tht call themselvz politicians are not beta match than edgar himself, thats th more reason they hurt so mch knowing tht a person of their callibre is in state hse n not them. besides, leadership is a blessing from up above, who knows how we wld ve been if we were under some1 else..guys b real. jan 2015 elections were a jackpot for hh- fact!he didnt win, y? answer urself…..sata proposed a pact with hh, who wld ve been presdo after his death? again answer urself….so now if some1 was meant 2rule, they wld ve a long time ago!my opinion is tht hh will NEVER be presdo- period. my advise is…
Hmmm, i suspect something here. Anyway ba President ifintu nafipena under PF.Already you added new ministries knowing very well there are no resources. can’t give a salary rise to civil servants but your ministers,DCs etc are enjoying life to the fullest.
Those are solid words; no reason to mock or disrespect the office of the President. Let us hope Mr. Lungu will make a difference. Time is no factor – we all have the same amount; just do it! We will follow you Mr. President if you truly lead us. If not, we have a political system in which the PEOPLE can make a difference.
“I didn’t know I was going to be a lawyer, I didn’t know I was going to be a politician”.
There you have it. Everything that happens to this guy is an accident. How do you expect him to have a plan or vision for anything.
As if you knew what you were going to be. Kawalala iwe
It is difficult to become “the best president” when you inherit same-all same-all… If you WANT to be the best President, you NEED to change a lot of things in the governance system (POA, Expenditure patterns, Fiscal direction, social welfare, etc.)
His actions speaks much louder such that I can not hear what he is saying… To be a great leader you have to be the servant of the people. I guess he has much to learn about servant leadership..taking 200+ people to the US on a chattered plane is not part of it…
Change your ways bro, it’s not too late.
…the integrity of any building is in the foundation and not the decorations or painting of the walls….you risk being disqualifies when you do a false start in athletics track event…apparently hunger gives limited time on everyone…..
Mfyoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!
To be a great leader sir you need a great vision and a powerful team to help you implement your vision – sir you have none of those! Conditions being what they are now, your (cowardly) character and your love for Jameson means you will not even be half the man you succeeded!
EDGAR IS PRETENDING TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE PLIGHT OF THE CITIZENS WHEN HIS ACTIONS CLEARLY SHOW THAT HE IS INSENSITIVE AND SELFISH PROUD FELLOW, ONLY GOOD TO HIMSELF AND MINIONS AROUND HIM. WE ARE SICK AND TIED OF FLATTERY FROM THIS GUY. LUNGU YOU HAVE NO AGENDA FOR ZAMBIA. PLEASE PACK AND GO. YOU ARE A TERRIBLE MESS TO OUR NATION. VISION-LESS INDEED.
If you continue doing what everyone else has been doing in the past, you wont archive your dreams Mr President. distance cadres from national issues and confine them to political party activities. it is good to remain hopeful even in time of difficulties.
Fools who vote based on tribal have destroyed this country, moreover you have pipo heading govt with no ideas at all,blaming other countries on our country shame, we have seen yo capability sir within yo 9 months as president,come 2016 we shall judge on what u’ve achieved not relying on Sata’s past achievements, let RB advise u on to manage the falling economic which u’ve no control at all
See those 42 receiving fellowships? In two decades time will anything they learn be listened to?
We are nice to them on the way up but once they flourish we will spend time bringing them down to our mediocre levels.
THAT is the change you can be. Listen to those whose success, education, entrepreneurial skills, business acumen or love for Zambia COULD make a difference if harnessed.
Start by placing your entire team on the block and accept they are mediocre and that will not help you become any better than you are now… richer and greedier maybe but not that special class of human that effects real change.
Not in the company of Kambwili and Chama
EVER HEARD OF THE TERM “DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR”??
No it’s not the name of a music band, but a situation where one loses touch with reality, & believe they are achieving Big things, despite the reality being different
How are you going to be the “Best President” baba, when a lot of merciless corrupt individuals are pardoned by You, & go on to fraternise with You??
How are You going to be the best baba, when You are never @ home, & spend meagre scarce resources globe trotting at great expense, when Zambians are perishing from lack of medicines in our hospitals, & lack of a daily full nutritional meal?
Baba how on earth are you going to be the best, when, our Universities are not functioning to full potential??
Baba, I could go on & on, but will rest my case now.
…
Hear hear!
Things pipo say to win girls..who can resist ‘I will buy you a country’..I thought so..
Mwalanda mwapwisha Ba Lungu? Dream on brother. Dream on.