“Those boys are liars. Do not be cheated. They will not work on this road. They will plunder the resources because that is what they like doing,” he said. President Hakainde Hichilema has pledged to accelerate development in Luapula Province, promising continued investment in…

“Those boys are liars. Do not be cheated. They will not work on this road. They will plunder the resources because that is what they like doing,” he said.

President Hakainde Hichilema has pledged to accelerate development in Luapula Province, promising continued investment in infrastructure, agriculture, social services and job creation if granted another mandate in next month’s elections. He also told residents that the former ruling Patriotic Front (PF) had long regarded the province as its political stronghold without delivering the level of development its people deserved.

The President made the commitment during a two-day working visit to the province, where thousands of residents turned out to welcome him at rallies in Chienge, Nchelenge, Kawambwa and Mwense districts. Addressing a mammoth gathering in Nchelenge, he argued that the previous PF administration had taken Luapula’s loyalty for granted while neglecting the practical needs of its people, urging voters to back the UPND because it had demonstrated its ability to fulfil campaign promises.

He pledged that programmes such as the Social Cash Transfer, Cash for Work, the timely distribution of farming inputs and free education would continue. The Head of State further assured residents that his administration would maintain the recruitment of teachers and health workers to strengthen public service delivery across the province.

President Hichilema said the best way to appreciate the people of Luapula for their growing support was through tangible development, adding that his administration would not abandon communities that had remained behind for many years.

While addressing residents in Chienge, the President outlined plans to improve road infrastructure, expand economic opportunities and increase access to essential public services. He disclosed that he would engage the contractor working on the Kashikishi-Lunchinda Road to accelerate construction, while government would also undertake works on the Lambwe-Chomba Road, establish a skills training centre, introduce banking services and increase Food Reserve Agency (FRA) satellite depots.

He further announced that volunteer teachers and nurses would be employed by the end of next month and appealed for greater electoral support than he received in the 2021 elections. Turning to politics, the President criticised opposition leaders, including Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu, arguing they had previously served in government but failed to deliver meaningful development.

In Nchelenge, President Hichilema committed to commissioning the long-awaited Nchelenge General Hospital, rehabilitating key roads and establishing a skills training centre to equip young people with practical skills. He also promised increased investment in tourism and agriculture through government-backed programmes aimed at stimulating business opportunities in both sectors.

The President reminded residents that the creation of Mweru Constituency had effectively doubled the district’s Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation, increasing it from one constituency to two and translating into K80 million for community development projects.

Addressing another rally in Kawambwa, President Hichilema said the district would be transformed into an industrial hub anchored on agriculture and agro-processing, particularly through sugarcane, avocado production and other commercial ventures. He added that increased government investment would generate jobs and expand business opportunities for local communities.

According to the President, the extension of the national electricity grid had already created opportunities for residents to establish businesses and industries capable of stimulating economic growth. He added that government had laid the foundation for Kawambwa’s economic transformation through rural electrification, support for sugar farmers and the promotion of avocado production, while also committing to complete the district hospital, Pambashe Boarding School and the Kawambwa-Mporokoso Road.

In Mwense, President Hichilema assured farmers that the Food Reserve Agency would soon begin purchasing maize and that payments would be processed promptly to eliminate delays that had previously forced farmers to spend nights outside banks waiting for their money. He said government would continue implementing Cash for Work, rehabilitating roads and expanding development projects aimed at improving livelihoods.

The President also pledged that the Kennan Rubber Plantation would “roar back to life”, creating employment opportunities for young people across the district. He further promised that Nchelenge General Hospital’s wards and operating theatres would be renovated, equipped and fully staffed if re-elected, while government would expand fish farming to strengthen the province’s main economic activity.

On access to clean water, President Hichilema described the continued scarcity of safe drinking water in the province as “a national shame” despite Zambia’s abundant water resources. He pledged to drill more boreholes, expand water supply systems and rehabilitate the Nchelenge-Mwense-Mansa Road during a second term in office.

He also noted that the delimitation of Kawambwa District, which resulted in the creation of three constituencies, meant the area would now receive K120 million under the Constituency Development Fund, funding that would support the construction of schools, hospitals, health centres, water projects, as well as loans and grants for women and other community initiatives.

The President urged the people of Kawambwa to reject opposition leaders whom he accused of misleading the public, saying they had borrowed excessively while in office and left behind a debt burden that his administration had been working to reduce.

“Those boys are liars. They lied against me in 2021. They were saying that I would divide the nation once I became President. They said I would sideline some provinces, but is that what I have done? I have brought more roads, CDF and hospitals. Is there any division in this? Those people are liars,” he said.

In Chienge, President Hichilema directed that volunteer health workers who attended his rally in uniform be employed and encouraged them to remain and serve in the districts where they were deployed. He appealed to residents to vote for the UPND on 13 August, saying this would facilitate the speedy completion of the Chienge-Nchelenge Road. While acknowledging delays by the contractor, he pledged to ensure the project was completed together with the construction of bridges along the route.

He also criticised some presidential candidates for promising to construct the Chienge-Nchelenge Road, arguing that they had failed to deliver the same project when they previously served in government. The President questioned why they were seeking another opportunity after, in his view, failing to develop Luapula despite regarding it as their political stronghold.

“Those boys are liars. Do not be cheated. They will not work on this road. They will plunder the resources because that is what they like doing,” he said.

Concluding his address, President Hichilema said strong support from the people of Chienge would enable government to build skills training centres, banking facilities, FRA depots and additional health centres in the district. He added that a UPND victory on 13 August would also ensure the construction of the Mwabu, Chansa and Akafumbulu bridges, allowing development to continue across the province.