President Edgar Lungu says if what he is doing as Head of State is wrong, Zambians should pray for him to change.

And President Lungu says government will introduce contracts for Cabinet Ministers in order to synchronize their performance and get rid of non performing ministers

Speaking at the launch of the 7th National Development Plan (7NDP) today, President Lungu said he was in Charge of Zambia while God was in control.

“Talking of governance, I do not know which government has no rules, no laws, no respect for the law, Let me emphasise that this morning I was talking to someone and I said ‘look, what is your problem?’ I am in charge of Zambia and God is in control. We are a Christian nation and we will remain as such and those of us who believe we will go on our knees every morning and ask God ‘what am I going to do today?’. I am just in charge but God is in Control,” President Lungu said.

“As a christian nation that’s what I believe in, so just pray for me to do the right thing if what I am doing is wrong now. I think your prayer will touch me and I will change but so far so good I am on the right course. None of us here is special we are all the same, Dr kaunda, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda and Mr Edgar Lungu we are all the same. It’s a privilege to serve. I am privileged to do this job and I will do both wrong and right for the success and failures, please let’s not begin playing with people’s lives, we have got 15 plus million Zambians to look after.”

Meanwhile, the President has said government shall introduce contracts for Ministers in order to synchronize them and get rid of non performing ministers.

He said government would want to gauge the performance of Ministers through contracts as Ministers critically needed to be held accountable.

“I will be glad if our ministers can have their contracts synchronized so that we can know when to let them go. There is no way a minister can be superintendent of a ministry and holding you accountable without them being accountable to anything. Very shortly I will be receiving reports from the ministers on their performances quarterly and I am sure we will see how far we are going on this line,” President Lungu said.

“In line with all this all government ministries and institutions are expected to align their strategic plans to the smart Zambia agenda and the 7NDP. All quarterly reports for ministries, provinces and institutions are expected to be in line with development outcomes of the plan.”

And President Lungu said his performance shall be judged in 2021.

“I do not know whether the President has a contract…oh in 2021 you will be able to find out whether I have done it or not because the president is also answerable to some authority in some way and in 2021 you will be able to know if I have passed the grades,” President Lungu said.

He expressed hope that the newly launched 7NDP would help in breaking the gap between the rich and the poor. .

“I have heard people saying chimbwi no plan, we do not want to be chibwi no plan, we want to work according to budget and despite the poverty decline between 2006 and 2015 there is need for government to do more as rural poverty remains really high at over 70 percent,” said the President.

And United Nations resident coordinator Janet Rogan said in her speech that now was not the time for partisan politics amongst political leaders but that it was time to represent the people who voted for them.

“The 7th National Development plan has to go everywhere in this country even as far as the famous Dundumwenzi because once a
government is in place then what follows is hard work. All those who were elected last year must prepare to represent their electorates and deliver. I humbly suggest that this time to rise from partisan politics and focus on developing the country,” said Rogan.

Meanwhile, Minister of National Development and Planning Lucky Mulusa said the 7NDP would generate more employment opportunities and incomes for the people of Zambia anchored on the formulation of policies that would result in productive and measurable outcomes.

“The formation of the plan was guided by the national planning and budgeting policy with the revised national decentralisation policy of 2014 and took into account the micro economic policies outlined in the economic stablisation growth program called Zambia Plus. The plan which has been launched today is well poised to produce growth that will generate more employment opportunities and incomes for the people of Zambia. This plan will anchor on the formulation of policies that will result in productive and measurable outcomes,” said Mulusa.