President Edgar Lungu says even though UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema is richer than him, he cannot use his own money to build a toilet or school for the people of Katuba.

Campaigning for PF Katuba candidate Zacks Mwachilele at a rally, Sunday, President Lungu said he was the one in charge of state resources and he was the only one who could deliver development.

“Those people who are coming here to tell you they will bring development are lying because where will they get the money? It is government that has money and the head of government is me. It is government that constructs roads, it is government that constructs schools, it is government that brings water but the person you will elect from UPND, where will he get that money from? Even if Hakainde has that money why didn’t be bring it here in 2016? He didn’t give Patricia Mwashingwele, why didn’t he give her? We are telling you that it was a misfortune that your MP died but God has given you a second chance to put someone we can work with. Mr Hakainde is richer than me for sure but the money that is used to take the country forward is not from his pocket, it is government money. So he has got money but government has more money. It is the money we use to construct roads, schools and hospitals,” President Lungu said.

“I am the President and I am the one who has appointed the Minister of Finance. For them, they can’t remove money from their pockets, no, it is not possible! Has he ever built a toilet here? Has he ever built a clinic or a school? So I am asking you that please don’t embarrass me this time around. Give me someone sensible so that I can work with him.”

And President Lungu discouraged Katuba residents from engaging in violence.

“Even relief food that is being distributed in those areas where there is hunger, it is us who are giving. Has he ever removed money from his pockets to give people? No. So your government is PF, so don’t waste your vote on someone else. And most importantly, don’t fight. Have you were heard that HH and I have fought? Never, we just greet each other ‘Mr President’, ‘Mr president’, that’s all. But you want to fight because of votes?” he asked.

“2021 is far away. There’s about two years and some months so things can happen and you can see. This person, I will be able to manage him, I will be able to force him to work. We were in Bahati, we promised them things, we went there to implement, we were in Roan, we promised them things, we are going to implement but it depends on the area member of parliament if he will be able to come and see me to say ‘how about those things you promised?’ That man who was elected in Roan has to deliver development, he is in another party and if he won’t to me or the Minister of Education or the Minister of Health, how will he work? So I ask you to give me this person and in 2021, we will bring him here and you will ask him ‘sontapo wabomba’ (point at your works) isn’t it?”

He told Katuba residents not to be cheated by opposition parties who were claiming that PF wanted to hoodwink voters.

“You will see that within a short period of time, things will change. These things they keep telling you that we are trying to hoodwink you with roads, we started constructing roads here before Mwashingwele died. Don’t be cheated like little children. So if you want, we can stop until next week after voting. We are willing because those projects have been running because our late sister passed away…don’t be cheated, you are very intelligent people,” said President Lungu.