LUAPULA Province Minister Nickson Chilangwa says while it is true that Zambia is facing many challenges, the PF government is on the right trajectory.

And Tourism and Arts Minister Ronald Chitotela says the UPND will continue to be on the left side of the House because PF is touching the hearts of the people.

Debating President Edgar Lungu’s final address to Parliament, Wednesday, Chilangwa admitted that there were many challenges in Zambia.

“I was amazed yesterday to hear people say in Monze, there has been no general hospital since 1964, I was wondering whether the honourable member who spoke meant that PF has been in power from 1964 or he was lamenting that he wished the PF had been in power since 1964. Madam Speaker, Rome was not built in one day, what we are saying, those of us in the PF is that we are on the right trajectory. We are not saying that we have done everything, it’s not possible, even at creation, the creator created the world and all that dwelt in it in six days…so for me when people come here and say no, this road is in a bad state, this has not been done, let us acknowledge what we have achieved as a nation. We can only be our own heroes if we support and congratulate our own heroes. Madam Speaker, yes we have many challenges in this country, at national level, provincial level, district level and even at personal level, it’s not possible to achieve everything that we desire to do at personal or family level even when given a lifespan of 70, 80 years, you cannot achieve everything,” Chilangwa said.

He attributed the victories which PF attained in the recently held by-elections to people appreciating what the President was doing.

“I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate the two members of parliament who have joined us and equally to congratulate President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the leader of the Patriotic Front for such successful victories in the by-elections. That resonates with his speech. I was wondering last night as I went to bed whether his speech and the victories that we scored across the country are speaking to the same thing and the same language and I concluded that yes indeed, the people heard the Presidential speech and the people on the ground are appreciating what the President is trying to do and what the President is doing,” said Chilangwa. .

And contributing to the same debate, Chitotela boasted that for the first time in Zambia’s history, artists had gotten an empowerment package.

“This has never happened [the K30 million seed fund], and that’s why today, I am flooded with a lot of requests from the artists, everybody is saying, where has this president been and I can assure you madam speaker, we were here in 2015 when some people were saying they will go that side and we will be asking them questions they are still asking us questions. Come 2021, they will continue asking us questions because what we are doing, we are not politicking, we are touching the hearts of the poor people, we are touching the hearts of Zambians. Which president has ever provided for a seed fund for the artists in Zambia? No one other than President Edgar Lungu. Therefore, we are grateful and the artists out there Madam Speaker. I was shocked to hear even the old artists are composing songs to support President Lungu’s re-election in 2021. Watch the space and you will see and the artists are saying we will continue supporting these people because he has recognised us,” said Chitotela.