PF is not tribal, says Limata

PF is not tribal, says Limata
By Correspondent
Fri 07 Oct. 2011, 08:00 CAT

NORTH Western Province minister Josephine Limata says the Patriotic Front is not a tribal party and has advised locals in the region to rally behind the PF government.

Limata said when she met members of North Western Development Council of Elders at her office on Tuesday that President Michael Sata was not a tribalist but "a man of action" who wanted to unselfishly develop the country.

"I am happy about him; President Sata is a man of action. There is no tribalism in PF. This is Zambia; it is not Zambia for one tribe but for everyone. And President Sata is President for everybody. If we do that shunning his government because of belonging to other political parties then we will be left out of the development of the country," she said.

Limata said when President Sata appointed her as provincial minister, he told her that North Western was important to the country and that she needed to work hard to uplift its agricultural, educational and health delivery standards.

"President Sata told me that 'I am sending you to bring people together'. Tribalism will not take us anywhere. And he told me that 'I will give you the money needed to do all the projects there'," she said.

Limata asked the elders to give her constructive guidance to manage the complexities of the region.

And chairperson of the council of elders Lucas Chikoti told Limata to assure President Sata that the province had welcomed her and would support the government's agenda for the region.

He noted that North Western had massive resources but that it benefitted very little and called on President Sata to give it a priority.

"This province lacks a lot in terms of development. This has been our cry for quite a
long time. The resources are coming from here. I am hopeful that we shall be helped," said Chikoti. "We are also happy that the President has sent you here. Women are better leaders than men and are more committed. Tell the President that he should not listen to rumours coming from this province that people had rejected Limata's appointment because she came from outside North Western."

And former health minister in the Kenneth Kaunda regime, Alina Nyikosa, praised President Sata for being gender sensitive and trusting a woman to head what she described as a "difficult province", calling the move an exciting real change.