PF's Honeymoon is over - Sata

PF's Honeymoon is over - Sata
By Moses Kuwema in Mpika
Mon 28 Nov. 2011, 14:00 CAT

PRESIDENT Michael Sata has warned that honeymoon is over for elected PF leaders and urged them to get to work. And President Sata says Zambians need to see the difference between Mpika and Chipata because that is where he comes from.

Meanwhile, President Sata has appointed Isoka member of parliament Malozo Sichone as Muchinga Province minister.

Speaking at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish at Chilonga mission yesterday where he attended Mass, President Sata urged the leaders to ensure that they work closely with the people in fostering development.

"…I want to warn you my dear brothers and sisters that the honeymoon, holiday is over because today to know that I was coming, next time I will not inform you. People have to see the difference between Mpika and Chipata because this is where the President comes from," President Sata said.

And President Sata has urged Sichone to shift to Chinsali and immediately start developing the area.

"Ba GBM Defence minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba when you go back to Nakonde, tell Malozo Sichone that I have appointed him minister for Muchinga. Let him shift to Chinsali and start the process of constructing the government offices for the provincial capital in Chinsali. We can't bring everything to Mpika, no! We have to balance up, Chinsali that's where there is a paramount chief. Chinsali looks like it is not in Zambia, we want to change the place so that it looks like it is in Zambia," President Sata said.

Speaking earlier during his sermon, parish priest Father Thomas Mantini told the congregants that they needed to work hard for them to have more money in their pockets, as per PF slogan.

Fr Mantini said money would not get into people's pockets on its own but that they needed to work hard for it because "God helps those who help themselves".

And speaking on behalf of the priests in Mpika, Fr Patrick Chibuye said the Church would be there to offer checks and balances to the government in order to safeguard the taxpayer's money.

Fr Chibuye demanded an apology from the previous government of the MMD for the failed constitution-making process.

"We are glad that you have shown commitment towards the constitution-making process and we are hoping that money will not go to waste during this process, like was the case with the previous government where a lot of money was wasted and they have never bothered to apologise. We ask for an apology from the previous government for wasting taxpayer's money," Fr Chibuye said.

And Fr Chibuye highlighted a number of challenges which Mpika district faced, among them the inadequate teaching staff at Chilonga nursing school, lack of transport for students, lack of an ambulance for Chilonga hospital.

In response, President Sata asked the priests to put their challenges in writing.

"We have heard your problems and we shall help where we can. Now if you want us to help you, God helps those who help themselves. If you want us to help you, let us know your problems in writing, not in talking. If you have something that government has to attend to, you have got departmental heads," said President Sata.

President Sata attended Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Mpika's Chilonga area, where he was baptised on September 8, 1937.

President Sata was accompanied to the church service by information minister Given Lubinda, defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba, agriculture minister Emmanuel Chenda, Northern Province minister Freedom Sikazwe and Lameck Mangani.