President Edgar Lungu this morning led a number of government officials, public and private corporate figures in a 13 kilometers jogging stint a as sign of citizens being healthy.
Clad in a Barclays Bank branded white T-shirt and blue tracksuit and white jogging shoes , President Lungu who was in usual jovial spirit kick started the two hour long early morning around State Lodge area which covered 13 kilometers.
President Lungu’ s daughter Tasila, Presidential Affairs Minister Freedom Sikazwe, Michael Katambo (Agriculture), Richard Musukwa (Mines), Ronald Chitotela (Infrastructure) and Bowman Lusambo of Lusaka Province were among the people who participated in the early jog.
Employees from ZESCO, RDA, ZAMTEL, RTSA, ZICTA, ZRA, ZACL also took part in the keep fit exercise by jogging.
The programme was sponsored by Barclays Bank which provided water and fruits to the runners.
After the run, President Lungu said the jogging stint was part of his regular keep fit programme an initiative he said was aimed to expose awareness of keep-fit and pass it on to others.
President Lungu said the motive of the jogging stint was aimed to sensitize people in communities on the best health practices of ridding off non- communicable diseases.
“ It is a matter of concern that one out four people die of cancer, high blood pressure commonly known as BP, diabetes and other related illness due to lack of physical exercises, “ he said.
Mr. Lungu has therefore encouraged all Zambians to not only visit medical experts so as to know their alignments, but to spare their time doing exercises, such as jogging.
“ I also encourage communities to form training clubs such as neighborhood clubs, playing football, tennis and at least walking so that Zambia can have healthier people to steer the desired development, “ he said.
Another corporate jogging stint would in June and December this year expected were awards would be given to deserving runners.
And Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya who also participated in the exercise encouraged people to consider eating traditional foodstuffs such as impwa (African egg-plant) the famous traditional vegetables such ulumanda, chibwaba ( pumpkin leaves) and bondwe among others which he said adds value to the body’s wellbeing.
Dr. Chilufya however warned against smoking and fast foods which he said have a negative impact to one’s health such as lung diseases and obesity, among other ailments.
Barclay’s Bank Managing Director Mizinga Melu expressed her optimism ic that the ‘presidential jog’ would have a spiral effect on all citizens in all walks of life.
Ms. Melu said people should not go to the hospital for fitness adding that physical exercises are a good vehicle of in uniting people in the country.
What else should you think of after filling your stomachs with plenty food from stolen money, what else should one think of? But what about the other millions of other Zambian parents who are stressed because they have NO MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS and can not take their children to school?
Shame on you, must you politicise everything? This is a good and progressive initiative.
@ James ndeta it is not about poloticisong…my humble question to you does this represent the majority of Zambians ?? Travel this country and you will realise most Zambians get more than adequate excercise due to a manual lifestyle infact they well surpass the WHO recommended number of steps for most adults
Enjoying jogging on an empty stomach is like preaching to someone without money that his vehicle showing red on the fuel gauge will reach Livingstone from Lusaka whilst the preacher is there in his company car with a full tank and a full pocket of looted money.
The guy Edgar sits Monday to Friday in his office at State House doing absolutely nothing waiting for a flight…surely when have you seen Lazy Lungu stressed or annoyed over some issue, a whooping K1 million disappeared from Toll Gates and no one can account he is there talking about excercise
If you take stock of how many Zambian families are battling the menace of diabetics, hypertension and developing big bellies, you would appreciate this great call from President Lungu. Most Zambians of today abhor any workout. The myopic thinking is that walking is synonymous with poverty, and eating fast foods is a status of affluence. Dead wrong thinking. Interesting to note that most Zambians born in villages and raised in low-income families in cities of yesterday but now educated professionals, they stay fit, are conscious of what they eat and do. Most them of them are healthy and champion healthy living despite a change in their economic status. They go to the gym, walk, work-out on the bicycle, and actively play fat burning games.
When did you learn to exercise, apabene when you entered state house? Zambian are starving from lack of jobs. Emwe now you are over pricing roads & fire engines to pocket the difference & you tell hungry Zambians to exercise
Let’s roll …
Zoona impwa man Doc Chitalu can run 13kms? They way these guys never step out of the luxury SUVs, and are constantly found at shopping malls, you wonder if they can even run 2kms. But as for ECL I know he has been keeping fit, you can see that the kama pot belly he had 2 years ago has disappeared.
This “stint” is meant for the high and mighty wealthy. Not for the majority. The majority of us get enough exercise… not out of choice, but out of poverty.
Does HH go for jogging..?
Meanwhile he goes to RSA for “routine medical checkup” he encourages Zambians to jog …hehehe! The majority Zambians already excercise more than adequately from manual work …waking up early to walk long distances, tilling the land which you don’t want to pay for their produce, pushing barrows in Markets, Cycling etc. The high transport prices means many walk long distances these days. Excercise is not the issue actually it is more an elitist issue because of sitting too much on desks and in front of TV …for the majority of Zambians it is just an issue of consistent healthy balanced diets and access to good quality health care for early diagnosis of ailements instead of cheaper hood pharmacies elo the witch doctors. Mizinga and your friend ECL you are out of touch the cocooned…
Really laughable..He is full of BS..I mean he goes for a basic check up abroad because he dont trust our doctors with their expired drugs he and Chilufya supplies then repackages it.
Why no one records this “13 kilometers jogging stint” of Lazy Lungu joggiing from start to finish and posts it on YouTube!!
Mr president, CEO’s and invited Execs – While you’re tucked away in your air conditioned offices and shiny cars, the average zambian is walking to and from work and subsisting on the natural fits the health minister is now prescribing. Take a drive down great north road one morning and witness the mass of workers trekking to work from mandevu and beyond!
Your advice though valid only applies to the ‘apamwamba’ with ‘first world’ problems caused by a sedentary lifestyle and increasingly western diet. For the rest, such messages can be construed as insensitive and careless to the plight of po’ folks.
It’s sad to read just how removed and oblivious our one percent are from the life of an average Zambian. The prosperity the few enjoy casts a rose-tinted perspective on how well Zambia is faring but you only need to scratch the surface to learn the truth. Brothers and sisters, this needs to change.
You unfit drunk,what a moron