Sata capable of fulfilling promises - Mpezeni

Sata capable of fulfilling promises - Mpezeni
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Wed 23 May 2012, 13:37 CAT

PARAMOUNT chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people in Eastern Province says President Michael Sata is capable of fulfilling his campaign promises. And energy permanent secretary says the government was committed to ensuring that rural areas are developed.

In an interview at Ephendukeni palace on Sunday when he received a team of engineers that was carrying out an assessment on the electrification of Vubwi and Mulanga farming block, Mpezeni said President Sata was a visionary leader who was capable of fulfilling his promises.

He said President Sata knew that if he does not fulfil his promises, people would query him.

Mpezeni said people should support President Sata in his quest to develop the country.

He said it was gratifying that President Sata could think of connecting places like Vubwi to the national grid, a thing that was never thought of by the previous presidents.

"Who can say that President Sata is a bad person? No one can take pride in sleeping in the dark these days. Every person wants electricity and this time he has thought of us. These other former presidents thought that villagers have no money but they don't know that money comes from here. Ndalama zuchoka navakulya vonse vuchoka kuno kumunzi (money and food come from the village). I know even my young brother (chief) Pembamoyo (of Vubwi) will also be happy with this electrification project," chief Mpezeni said.

He said the decision to connect Vubwi to the national grid was long overdue.

"When you go to Vubwi the area used to look like a foreign place but it is in Zambia. So things are changing, just imagine Vubwi is now a district. This is a sign that shows that the country is developing. Very soon we'll have a tarred road near my home," he said.

He thanked President Sata for facilitating development in his area. "Let him bring development to the whole country not only here in Chipata," chief Mpezeni said.

He said President Sata was a national leader who does not segregate people based on their political affiliation.

Mpezeni said the tarring of the Chipata-Vubwi road that would commence soon was one of the promises that President Sata made during the campaigns.

And Zulu said the government wanted to develop the rural areas and that this could be done in partnership with traditional leaders.

He said before the end of this month activities would start of the Chipata-Vubwi road.

Zulu said people of Vubwi and Mulanga farming block would soon be connected to the national grid.

Nasson Musonda, an engineer from the Rural Electrification Authority in Lusaka, said his team was making an assessment on the electrification project of Vubwi and Mulanga farm block for consideration under the 2013 rural electrification programme.