ECL donates 9,000 bicycles to East village heads

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has supplied 9,000 bicycles which he had promised to provide for headmen in Eastern province to ease and enhance their mobility. The President made the pledge in November last year while on a tour of the province. He had promised to provide bicycles to assist the village headmen and women who complained of lacking means of easing their mobility. ZANIS reports that Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Veronica Mwiche received the consignment of 9,000 bicycles and today flagged off the distribution of the bikes in Sinda district. Ms. Mwiche commended the President for the gesture saying it will ease the mobility of village heads as they undertake developmental tasks in their communities. She announced that each constituency has been allocated 500 bicycles saying the donation will help village heads to increase interaction with their subjects. “During his working visit to the province in November last year, President Edgar Lungu committed to respond to the transport challenge headmen were facing, and today we are witnessing this noble gesture as His Excellency fulfills his pledge,” she said. Ms. Mwiche added that, “village headmen are key and better placed to help government reach out to the people on the ground, as such, the donation will greatly contribute to the fulfilment of this purpose”. The bicycle distribution exercise was witnessed by a number of Members of Parliament (MPs) in Eastern province. And representing MPs who were present at the function, KapocheMember of Parliament (MP) Charles Banda thanked the President for the donation. Dr. Banda noted that village headmen play a big role in mobilising people in their communities to participate in matters of national development, adding that aiding their mobility will enhance service delivery. “We are grateful to the President for responding to the plight of headmen. The gesture will go a long way in alleviating some of the problems our headmen are faced with,” he said. He has meanwhile called on Zambians to support the President’s vision to develop the nation. Meanwhile, headman Chiundu said he was unable to buy a bicycle on his own, a situation that affected his performance. The headman explained that there were times when he failed to attend important meetings because of lack of transport. “We are not the only ones who have benefited but the people we serve too because now we will be able to serve them better,” he said. Other people that attended the event in Sinda district were State House Permanent Secretary Christa Kalulu, Kapoche MP Charles Banda, Sinda’s Masauso Tembo, Peter Daka of Msanzala and Vincent Mwale of Chipangali.