PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has directed council officials and leaders to stop sidelining locals when awarding construction contracts, insisting that development projects must benefit the very people they are meant to serve.
Speaking during his interaction with residents of Kawambwa in Luapula Province yesterday, President Hichilema gave a firm and clear directive that jobs such as building clinics, schools and roads under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) must be handed to the local people and not outsiders.
The Head of State said his government will not tolerate a system where CDF projects are monopolised by contractors from elsewhere while youths and skilled people in areas like Kawambwa remain jobless.
“My message to all the people who work for councils across the country, including Kawambwa here, is that when there are contracts to build classrooms, to build clinics, the contracts must be given to the local people here in Kawambwa,” President Hichilema said.
President Hichilema added that Government has already provided funding in the 2025 budget to support infrastructure development, including fuel to run heavy-duty machinery for road works, therefore, there was no longer any excuse for councils to leave roads in bad shape.
He further instructed all councils to utilise the CDF wisely by procuring equipment such as graders and tippers to ensure that feeder roads, especially in rural areas like Pambashe and surrounding communities, are worked on using local resources and manpower.
The President made it clear that the central government will work hand-in-hand with local authorities to ensure that major roads, including the Kawambwa township roads, are upgraded and tarred.
During the engagement, President Hichilema also assured the people of Luapula that his administration will continue increasing support for farmers through the distribution of fertiliser and seed, especially in regions that rely heavily on agriculture for survival.
“As president, as your servant, your brother and your friend, I will make sure that my people in Kawambwa, Pambashe and Luapula, we increase the support for fertiliser and seed going forward,” stated the President.
By George Musonda
Kalemba May 3, 2025
