Kwacha PF member of parliament Joe Malanji has donated K50,000 to marketeers of Kwacha market in Kitwe as a way of reminding residents to vote for President Edgar Lungu in 2021.

And Malanji has handed over a newly-constructed 1X3 classroom block at Kitwe’s Valley View Secondary School worth K695,000 saying the PF government attaches great importance to education because it has a President who has a degree in law.

Speaking when he presented the K50,000 cheque to the marketeers, Tuesday, Malanji, who is also Foreign Affairs Minister, said government would continue to empower citizens, emphasising that the key to State House was in the hands of a voter.

Malanji also encouraged the marketeers not to forget the “Lungu nga talipo bonse nibangwele” slogan because according to him, President Lungu was the only one who could deliver to the expectations of the people.

“As an elected member of parliament for Kwacha constituency, I want to be the number one person driving the vision of the President. Palya mwalevota, mwaletila Edgar nga talipo [bonse aba nibangwele] teifyo fine (when voting, you used to when Edgar is not around then all the others are useless, not so)? Nanomba nifilya fine Edgar nga talipo bonse aba nibangwele (even today it’s just the same…when Edgar is not there then all the others are useless). So, my dear traders here in Kwacha Market, I have brought you some seeds (monetary), so this money that is going to exchange hands here, the moment I hand it over to you then it becomes government money, it will be public funds and if you get even a little bit of it, you will find yourself behind bars,” Malanji said.

“So, me, I have done what I promised you; when we were promising you we said we will come together. But if you are going to waste this resource then you will never see me here again! Mwaliimine imwe ati natubavotele ba Lungu, natubavotele ba Malani. Nomba balya bambi abaleima amabaka bushe mulabamonako kuno? Ala bamuninane muleiluka. There were people who promised you bridges knowing fully well that there are no bridges here, you should be alert always, you people. Don’t just listen to people whose are only focused at State House, they have no ideas that the only way to get to State House is the vote. President Lungu has already gotten the keys to State House and we will come again to collect them in 2021. And this contribution we have given you is one way of keeping those keys to State House.”

And speaking during the hand-over ceremony of the newly-constructed 1X3 classroom block at Kitwe’s Valley View Secondary School, valued at K695,000, Malanji said the PF government attaches great importance to education because the party has an educated President.

“Education is the foundation for everything good, and me, as member of parliament for this constituency, our government believes in teamwork. So, whatever comes in our personal contributions, it is an integral part of development. In 2016, we made all sorts of promises, others made promises, which cannot be fulfilled nkamiletela ama bridge nelyo ninshi notumana takwaba (I will bring you bridges, but we don’t even have rivers here). You should promise only what you are able to deliver. The fact that I am making such contributions like this class room block does not mean that I have got a lot. His Excellency the President has also donated some books, which we are going to donate to this school. The President attaches great importance to education because he is somebody that has been through it. From grade one to a degree holder in law under very difficult circumstances,” said Malanji.

“So, when I told him I was coming to handover this school, he told me, ‘take these books with you and go and give them to the learners’. When we were campaigning, we used to tell you that if you give the President what he wants from you, he will also give you what you need. You residents of Kwacha, indeed voted, you voted for myself as MP and also voted for the President and this constituency actually recorded the highest number of votes for the President in the entire Copperbelt Province. And in thanking you, the President appointed me as Foreign Affairs Minister.”