Government has ordered 100 million vaccines at a cost of K7 billion for cattle vaccination in Southern Province.
And President Rupiah Banda has implored the people of Zambia to vote wisely to ensure that the country’s development agenda continues to move forward.
This came to light in Mazabuka today when President Rupiah Banda officiated at the Southern Province Chiefs meeting.
ZANIS reports that at the same meeting Dr Martine Mtonga, a Consultant told the chiefs that vaccines would be given at zero cost to farmers in the province.
He also disclosed that tests for cattle were taking long and noted that Government had decided to build a new laboratory for cattle in Choma at a cost of K2 billion.
And President Banda said the wealth of people of Southern Province was wealth for all Zambians because if the province had more animals, it meant that the country would get richer.
Mr Banda said the country was at crossroads as it was expected that people have to go to elections this year.
He said there were people who did not like what Government had achieved so far and would want to mess up things.
‘’It is important that we think seriously because who is voted into office will have to continue running these institutions. Everyone of us has a role to play in ensuring that people vote correctly,’’ he said.
‘’Definitely our country is on its way up, the truth is we are getting somewhere. That is why we are bringing K7 billion here for the vaccination and we can afford to give it to the people of Southern Province for free. We are not going to give up subsidising fertiliser to our people until we feel they do it on their own,’’ he said.
The President predicted another bumper harvest during this year’s farming season. ‘’Those who are opposed to our bumper harvest would have preferred that we fail. We are happy that K1.3 trillion has gone to farmers. We will look for K1.3 trillion again to pay our people if they produce a bumper harvest again,’’ he said.
The President castigated some of the old politicians for talking of things they failed to do because they once held positions of responsibility in Government.
‘’Some of these old politicians should not talk because they have been in these positions before. For them to come and say you haven’t done this is not right because they have been there,’’ he said.
He appealed to traditional leaders to work together with Government in developing the country. He said Government had found a formula of growing more food and attracting more investment into the country. He also urged the chiefs to pray for the country so that it could hold peaceful elections.
‘’I have always been for peaceful elections, win or loose but there must be peaceful elections,’’ he said.
He also noted that chiefs were Government’s most important cooperating partners to see to it that development took place.
He said everyone must have a record and have a basis for who to vote for . ‘’Over the houses I announced in Kitwe recently, I have been receiving petition after petition and I have been studying these petitions, at last I said ok, these people can have these houses but surprisingly I have had a chain reaction,’’ he said.
He said he thought the Church’s prayer was that the people should be uplifted from poverty.
ZANIS
