PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu says even if people vote for him to continue in power upto 2026, he will still not do everything because development has no finishing line.

And President Lungu says he has heard that some traditional leaders in Muchinga Province have vowed not to vote for him because he has not done anything in the area, a situation he says is regrettable because his party has done wonders in the past 10 years.

Speaking when he met their Royal Highnesses; Senior Chief Kambombo and Chiefs: Chifunda, Chikwa, Tembwe, Lundu, Mulilo and Chibale, Tuesday, President Lungu said he received disturbing reports that some chiefs would not vote for PF because the party had failed to bring development.

“You are forgetting that tarred roads have been done and more can come. I have been given reports that some of you are saying you don’t want PF because they have failed to bring development here, but we have brought development here. We are doing more and more than any other government has done. The government of my father Dr [Kenneth] Kaunda did what he could to transform the area, the government of Chiluba did what it could in 20 years, we are doing what we can in 10 years. We have done wonders,” President Lungu said.

“This place was a banishing area for erring civil servants, this place was like Chilubi Island, this place was like Shang’ombo, that is where we were sending all the bad civil servants to come and stay here and punish them. But when we formed government, we said we are not going to leave anyone behind. You voted for us and we owe you development and we will bring development here. I ask for patience.”

President Lungu told the traditional leaders that even if they don’t vote for him, they will be surprised because other people would re-elect him.

“Ours is just to remind you that we are in a democracy and people are allowed to speak freely to speak for themselves. I have heard what you have said and I will take this with me as I go back to Lusaka. And ensure that what we can do, we can do. The reason why I am saying this is because I have reports that some of you, your Royal Highnesses are saying we won’t support Lungu beyond 2021 because I have not done everything,” he said.

The President said even if he got another mandate to rule, it would be impossible for him to fix all developmental challenges.

“And I can tell you that even if you vote for me up to 2026, I will not do everything. There will still be more to be done for the people of Chama. This is because development has got no finishing line. Development is an ongoing process. Your grandchildren will become chiefs and they will still want to develop their areas. I am saying this because of the difficult reports I receive that some of you don’t want to see your MPs because they have not done the roads. Some of you are sending away elected officers or office bearers because you are growing impatient with PF,” he said.

“Let me tell you, PF has only been in power for 10 years. From 2001, we were struggling to become government, 2011 we became government. From 2011 to now we have done a lot for Chama. I know some of your Royal Highnesses were here when we became government and I was here campaigning for January Zimba. And this place has changed. Let us learn to acknowledge transformation in our lives so that more and more can come our way. But if you are going to say ‘no until this government does the tarmac, put a bridge, you will not vote for us. You will be surprised that others will vote for us. And we will still be here.”

President Lungu said some of his ministers discouraged him from taking development to Southern Province.

“…The ministers some of them are even discouraging me from taking development in areas where we didn’t win. Now if you begin to be rebellious in a sense to say tiza bakaulisa ba PF simuza tikaulisa (if you think you will make PF suffer, you will not make us suffer), you will punish those people who want to help, they will say why are we taking development? I am in trouble right now as President for taking development in areas where we were not voted for. Why is this Lungu taking development to places where they didn’t vote for him? He is spending millions of kwacha and dollars doing roads in Southern Province. Now you want to join that bandwagon,” said President Lungu.