Former Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, Charles Milupi,has assured residents of Sikongo that work on the much debated Tapo-Kalabo-Sikongo-Angola road will soon begin.
Speaking during the United Party for National for National Development (UPND) rally, addressed by President Hakainde Hichilema in Sikongo today, Mr Milupi said he is surprised that people that failed to work on the said road when they were in Government are today criticising the UPND over the same road.
He wondered why persons that served previously are today telling the people of Western Province, particularly Sikongo that the UPND has neglected them by not working on the Tapo-Kalabo-Sikongo-Angola road which they themselves failed.
Mr Milupi said the delay in commencement of works is due to formalities that Government has to go through as stipulated by the funders and not that government had neglected it.
“From the onset when I was appointed Minister, one of the first tasks that President Hichilema gave me was to secure funds for this much talked about road,
We have already worked on the Luanginga bridge in Kalabo, we are already working on the Mongu-Lusaka road and many other projects are being undertaken, so why should someone lie to people that this government does not want to bring development to Western Province’’, he said.
“Formalities on this road have already been concluded and what is left is for the contractor to mobilise on site because the importance of this road which is supposed to connect Zambia and Angola cannot be over-emphasised,” he said.
President Hichilema has appealed to Sikongo residents to turn out in numbers on 13th August and vote for the United Party for National Development (UPND).
He also instructed party members and officials not to relax but rather to go to the grassroots and tirelessly campaign in order to secure a win.
And speaking to cheering crowds in Sikongo, President Hichilema said a lot has been done by the UPND administration but much more still needs to be done in order to develop Sikongo and Western Province,
The Head of State said this can only be made possible if the UPND retains power after the August General Elections.
President Hichilema also disowned independent candidates who claim to be supporting UPND and campaigning for him as President.
He said the UPND has its own candidates that the party adopted and urged voters in Sikongo to vote uniformly for all candidates standing on the UPND Party.
