Maravi

Chikoti questions govt’s agenda for N/Western Province

Chikoti questions govt’s agenda for N/Western Province
By Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Sun 06 Feb. 2011, 04:01 CAT

THE government is not honest about its development agenda for North Western Province, according to the provincial council of elders chairperson Lucas Chikoti.

Reacting to reports that the government would carry out feasibility studies on the possibilities of building a railway line from Solwezi to Katimamulilo, Chikoti wondered why the government wanted to jump to a longer route when works on the Chingola-Solwezi railway line were curtailed.

“Up to now, nothing has been done on the Chingola-Solwezi railway line. The former vice-president Enoch Kavindele was given a go ahead to construct the railway line and he even formed a consortium, but the government withdrew the licence to Northwestern Rail just because Kavindele comes from here,” Chikoti said.

He said the government was applying double standards by wanting to jump onto a longer railway route when they had failed to work on the shorter one and roads were being damaged owing to heavy traffic.

“The people of North Western Province are disappointed with the government because they have realised that they are not honest with their development agenda for this province,” he said.

“And they should not expect people to vote for them because they haven’t done anything for the province and until they change their attitude and convince us that they are serious, they might as well forget about votes from the province.”

He also complained about the poor state of the Solwezi-Kipushi road whose deplorable state was hampering trade between Zambia and DR Congo.

Chikoti said the poor state of the road had left many farmers stranded because they could not sell their surplus maize from last season to the neighbouring DRC.

And Chikoti said people were pleased with the sentiments by Solwezi Diocese Catholic Bishop Charles Kasonde that the province was not benefiting much from the profits that mining companies were making.

Chikoti said Bishop Kasonde’s words were correct and he was speaking for the people.

Labels: NORTHWESTERN PROVINCE

posted by MrK @ 7:16 PM