Lungu arrives in Ndola. Photo – State House
President Edgar Lungu today starts his five day work from the Copperbelt with many challenges facing the province.
He will be staying in Kitwe.
State House announced that President Lungu’s visit to the Copperbelt will see him check on developmental projects and meet the mine owners, Traditional leaders, Civil servants and trade unions.
Mine companies in the province have been laying off workers due to some production challenges that include energy crisis being experienced in the country.
The volatile situation at the Copperbelt University where Students rioted on Independence day and Lecturers have refused to go back to work despite threats from the Minister of Education.
The situation is reportedly not well in the province and there are fears that the ruling party is losing support.
“Things are bad for PF there (Copperbelt). Ifintu tafilibwino…,” Minister of Information Chishimba Kambwili was reported recently telling his colleague at Parliament.
The visit is aimed at trying to win back the confidence from residents as it would be suicide for the ruling party to lose support on the Copperbelt province which has the largest number of voters currently.
The President is tomorrow expected to address a public rally at Freedom Park where a number of Artists have been hired to perform. The rally according to PF is aimed at encouraging residents to register as voters in the ongoing voter registration exercise.
President Lungu who is with his Wife Esther Lungu arrived at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport in Ndola aboard the Challenger Jet at 16:36 hours on Thursday.
The President will only return to State House on November 3, 2015.
This is the longest work visit by a Head of State to a province.
Zambia goes to the polls next year and Lungu faces a strong challenge from Hakainde Hichilema of the opposition UPND whom he beat with only two percent in the January presidential election.
With the high cost of living being experienced, energy crisis and poor performance of the currency – Kwacha, Lungu has a mountain to climb to win the 2016 election.