By Merlyn Mwanza
President Hakainde Hichilema says the “good Vedanta news” will be followed soon by other positive news from the mining side.
And President Hichilema urged Zambians not to be sympathetic to the corrupt.
President Hichilema also said the upgrades at Kasama Airport will be followed by other works in northern region in Mansa, either side of the works in Solwezi as he is conscious of the politics of this country.
During the official opening of Parliament, President Hichilema hailed the coming back of Vedanta, saying the country must do the mining on the mining sites and not in court.
Vedanta failed to live up to several development agreements in the past and their coming back has been condemned from a cross section of society, but President Hichilema defended the mining company saying they are investing $1.3 billion in the development of the mine, including sparing funds for suppliers and investment into society.
“This good news will be followed by another and another,” the President said.
And President Hichilema said there will be a speeding up in the fight against corruption, claiming there has been more sighting of stolen resources that were stored abroad.
“Our population must not be sympathetic to those who take what is not theirs,” President Hichilema said and that no one gets protection on account of where they hail from. “There should be no sympathy for the corrupt in our country.
In a wide ranging address, the President said all the provincial airports will be addressed, after hailing the works done in Kasama, which he said will be followed by Solwezi and Mansa, saying he is conscious of the politics of this country, and that other regions must not worry as they will have their airports attended to also.
On the issues in the health sector, the President announced that 3000 health workers will be employed this year.
But the President also acknowledged that the supply of medicines and other medical supplies in health centers have been inadequate but that his administration was streamlining supplies.
He expressed similar sentiments on the high price of mealie meal, saying he was concerned but was working on increasing production to reduce the price.
President Hichilema further said he was aware of the challenges the upward fuel adjustments were having on the people and the administration was working on controlling things which were within their capability except those they did not have control over.
And President Hichilema announced that the administration will this year employ 4500 teachers.
President Hichilema also said citizens must not encourage other countries in the region to pick fights with Zambia.
He said Zambia has been housing refugees, and some have even gone ahead to be presidents in other countries.
“So citizens must not look at short term political gains in order to create conflict for our citizens,” President Hichilema said. “You are in the wrong lane. You are driving in the opposite direction and the traffic controller will ask you to drive in the right direction.”
He said the same people who were telling him not to talk to imperialists were the same ones who went to borrow from the same imperialists.
The President boasted that Zambians now have a visionary leadership, that is stable and committed to progress.
