PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has threatened to dismiss Cabinet ministers not visiting their constituencies and . President Lungu warned members of his Cabinet failing to juggle their ministerial jobs and duty to their constituents that he would not hesitate to fire them.

“If you are not capable of being both a minister and an MP, choose one job. I am warning those ministers that are MP’S but not visiting their constituencies soon I will soon let you go,” he said, addressing a public rally at Samfya primary school.

The Head of State said that he was in possession of information that some ministers were not visiting their constituencies because they were too remote.

He reminded the MPs that he had also served in parliament and held cabinet portfolios at the same time but still regularly visited the electorate in Lusaka’s Chawama constituency.

He said the role for MPs was not only to make laws in parliament but also to contribute to development in their respective constituencies.

“I have been deputy and cabinet minister before and I used to work in my constituency, that is why I am here today. It does not matter whether you are a cabinet minister you should visit your constituencies,” he said.

And President Lungu has cautioned civil servants against shunning rural areas as such attitude slows down the pace at which Government intends to develop the country.

The Head of State said he wanted to see patriotism in all civil service staff as Government was addressing the challenges they faced when posted to work in far-flung areas.

Addressing civil service staff and PF officials in Lunga District of Luapula Province yesterday, Mr Lungu called for coordination between the civil service and the Patriotic Front (PF) so that service delivery to the people was enhanced.

The President said he did not expect antagonism between civil service staff and PF members, warning that any ruling party official or civil service employee frustrating the operations of the institution would be dealt with.

“Anyone against the development vision for this country is an enemy of the people and that one, I will remove. We want to transform this country and I want to see harmony between the civil service and the party,” Mr Lungu said.

Mr Lungu also had an engagement with traditional leaders in Samfya, whom he assured of Government’s unwavering commitment to roll out development countrywide.

The traditional leaders are chiefs’ Kalasa Mukoso, Chitembo, Kasoma Bangwe, Mwewa, Mbulu, Mulongwe and Mwansa Kombe.

The President tasked Members of Parliament (MPs) and ministers from the province to ensure that service delivery to the people was enhanced as the PF promised this to the people during last year’s electoral campaigns.

In an interview with Lusaka Star today, MacDonald Chipenzi who is also former FODEP Executive Director said there is no need for Zambia to pull out from the ICC because the country has no reputation of promoting misrule and dictatorship.

Mr Chipenzi said Zambians should not offer blind loyalty and solidarity over the withdrawal, and there are no justifiable reasons of getting out of the ICC.

“The ICC was established to promote good governance and protect the rights of all citizens from the abuses from their leaders and not the misconceptions that it was meant to prosecute African leaders,” said Mr Chipenzi.

Mr Chipenzi said those African countries agitating for withdrawing from the ICC will result in their countries becoming a den of mass grave to the majority citizens.

He said many citizens will have no control and say over the abuses from the leaders adding that this will create many leaders to become tyranny and promote their interests.

“As an electoral expert, will sensitize other civil society organizations to ensure that the move does not receive maximum support from the majority Zambians,” Mr Chipenzi said.

Mr Chipenzi said that the ICC was established to offer checks and balances on all the activities of the citizens as well as leaders in the World.

He said this should be a wakeup call to all African leaders to uphold the good leadership and good governance in order to cease to be valuable clients of the ICC.

Mr Chipenzi said Zambia can only pull out from the ICC by carrying out a referendum in order to seek out many voices on whether the country should move out or not.

Meanwhile, a University of Zambia Lecturer and Political Analyst, Evans Daka has called on President Edgar Lungu and his cabinet to subject the pulling out of Zambia from the ICC to the majority citizenry for the move to have a fair decision.

Mr Daka said the ICC is an autonomous and global institution with the mandate of safeguarding the rights of the people from the abuses of their leaders the World over.

He said that the judicial system in Zambia is compromised due to lack of separation of powers as such the move of pulling itself from the ICC won’t yield any results as leaders will not be held accounted once they commit atrocities against the people.
“The intentions of pulling out of ICC is a national issue that borders on all the citizens, so a wide consultations should be sought democratically through a referendum which is not actually very expensive as people need to be fully sensitized over a number of months,” said Mr Daka.

Mr Daka said before serious considerations are taken, President Lungu should examine the benefits of being a member of the ICC as this global body was set with the essence of the safety of majority people in the World.

He said that the ICC does not impose itself on prosecuting and investigating cases committed by member states but that the affected countries voluntarily take their cases to it if all the judicial avenues have been exhausted without reaching a harmonious conclusion to a larger extent.

Recently, President Lungu was quoted by some sections of the media saying that he will consult widely on whether Zambia should pull out from the ICC or not.

National football team defender Stoppila Sunzu set the bar quite high when he gifted his wife with a brand new top of the range Mercedes Benz a few days ago. Since then, men in Zambia have been thinking of ways to keep up with the Sunzus’.

Exactly a whole year since the last Valentine’s Day, it’s no surprise that men in the capital city are struggling with ways to show appreciation for their loved ones. Whether it’s a gift or dinner, there is always that sense of last minute panic setting in as the 14^th of February draws nearer.

So, what are the options for the average Lusaka male who might not have the budget for a Mercedes Benz?

Rajeev Khanna, General Manager of Taj Pamodzi Hotel says gifts are a great way to show a partner how one feels, especially during the month of love. He also notes that creating memories should also be the focus for most couples.

“Spending treasured time together and creating memories should be the focus for Valentine’s Day. Not everybody can walk into a car dealership and pick out a car as a gift for their lover!” he says.

Khanna adds that this time of the year can be an opportunity to reconnect with a partner and the hotel has a number of activities that won’t break the bank for couples in Lusaka.

“Coming out of January’s financial blues, we know it won’t be easy to splurge on a huge gift for most. That’s why we’re offering our guests hospitality during this time, just to cushion their budget for what is obviously a special occasion,” he adds.

Guests at Taj Pamodzi can expect a live band, special four course dinner and a glass of sparkling wine at the Steak & Grills Restaurant while couples can also have a special brunch with wine in the Jacaranda hall.

Those that want to go the extra mile can check in for an overnight stay with exclusive suite, private dinner under the stars with a bottle of wine.

You might not be buying a Mercedes Benz for Valentine’s Day but if you plan the day well enough, the memories you create could last you and your partner a lifetime. Not endless bills for car maintenance and fuel.

President Lungu has disclosed that he will in the next five years ensure that the poverty levels in Luapula Province are reduced through embarking on deliberate programmes that will address the poverty levels in the province.

Speaking at a public rally at Katungulu Primary School grounds in Kawambwa yesterday , President Lungu said he will deliberately embark on programmes for the region to reduce poverty levels and bring prosperity to the people because Luapula is the most impoverished province in Zambia together with Western.

Mr. Lungu said he will first consider Luapula because it is Luapula that enabled him to manage the 50 per cent plus one threshold in securing his victory in last year’s presidential elections.

He said the human index report shows luapula to be the most impoverished which has compelled him to ensure that development should come to luapula first before he takes it anywhere so that the province could also start looking up.

He reiterated his reason for appointing a good number of Luapula people in his cabinet so that the y help him in bringing development to the region.

Mr. Lungu challenged the provincial minister Nixon Chilangwa, Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya, General Education Minister Dennis Wanchinga, Housing and Infrastructure Development Minister Ronald Chitotla, Energy Minister David Mabumba who were present at the rally to ensure that they use their positions to bring development to Luapula.

President Lungu gave Health Minister Chilufya a task to ensure that he brings a modern zonal health facility to Katungulu area by April this year.

Housing and Infrastructure Minister Chitotela was tasked to ensure that the road in the area is completed before July while Energy Minister Mabumba was instructed to make sure that the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) should bring power to Katungulu Primary School and the surrounding areas before REA leaves Luapula as REA is currently working in Milenge District in the province.

General Education Minister Wanchinga promised to deliver computers and a laboratory to the school in the area in order to enable pupils appreciate technology in their learning process.

The Head of State assured the people that he will come back to see for himself whether what he is promising will be delivered in record time by his Ministers.

He observed that he will adopt the ‘seeing is believing’ approach to his performance based work style as opposed to just reading reports in Lusaka because some reports were not the true reflection of the situation on the ground.

Mr. Lungu said it is good that he travelled because he has even discovered that UREA fertilizer has not been delivered for Mansa and Samfya up to now which he could not have known if he was in Lusaka.

He said roads, clinics, schools, and power will come to the area to change the life outlook of the people.

Meanwhile, President Lungu has promised to restock fish in Luapula water bodies. Speaking at a public rally at Katungulu Primary School grounds in Kawambwa yesterday, President Lungu said he will make sure that at the end of his five year term, Luapula’s economic profile will improve for the better.

He urged the people in Luapula to support the fish ban when it is in force in order to give fish a chance to breed during its breeding season.

The President said if the leadership in the province is committed to his vision and work together, the province is bound to become the food basket for the southern African region because of its good rain patterns, fertile soils and abundant water.

Mr. Lungu revealed that the agriculture sector will grow as it is the focus of his economic transformation for the country.

He urged all his leaders from Luapula who were present at the rally to ensure that they deliver on the promises they were making during political campaign trails before looking elsewhere.

The Head of state stated that it is important to first clean your own house before rendering a helping hand to your neighbor and it is important for Luapula leaders to first work towards fulfilling the promises they made to the people who voted for them.

Mr. Lungu observed that he will not hesitate to fire people both in the party and in government who will fail to perform because the citizens want to see results on what they were promised in the campaigns.

He reiterated his servant-hood approach to leadership and urged the people of Kawambwa to demand performance from their elected leaders because every leader is a servant of the people whom he pledged to serve with commitment, diligence and selflessness.

Speaking at Katungulu Primary School grounds in Kawambwa District of Luapula Province, President Lungu said marrying off young girls before completing School is digging a poverty grave for them.

He advised mothers to withstand their husbands when they decide to agree to marrying off their daughters when they should be in school.

The Head of State said Zambia needs educated women to drive the developmental agenda of the country.

Mr. Lungu promised that when in Lusaka, he will look at the legal provisions to see whether they were adequate for the protection of the girl child.

He added that Government will undertake to make further provisions of the law if the current laws are not adequate to protect the gild children.

Mr. Lungu also implored teachers to educate school going children on the important of resisting early marriages and concentrating on school for better economic opportunities in adult life.

Meanwhile, President Lungu has pledged to resolve all Party differences during his three days visit to Luapula Province

Mr. Lungu said it is important for the Party to work as a united front in the province.

He said the differences that has characterized the party due to those who stood as independents but have since been forgiven must be resolved while he is still in the region.

The President added that he will make sure that he attends to all the party issues because he is not only the President of Zambia but also the Patriotic Front which is the ruling Party.

Mr. Lungu maintained that Luapula is the strong hold of the Patriotic Front and should remain strong.

The Head of State has since left for Kawambwa where he is expected to inspect the Chishinga livestock breeding Centre, ZAFFICO plantation and the Kawambwa Tea Estate which is being revived.