ALVIN CHIINGA, Lusaka
MINISTER of Defence Richwell Siamunene says detractors of President Lungu must learn to respect him because he did not appoint himself but was elected by the people as President of Zambia.
And Mr Siamunene says the Ministry of Defence will contribute effectively towards road infrastructure through the Zambia National Service (ZNS).
Mr Siamunene said that politicians should devote their energy towards debating issues which will benefit the people.
“As politicians, there is no need to be politicking every time. Let’s develop a sense of talking about issues that will develop the nation,” he said in an interview.
Mr Siamunene said that positive criticism is always welcome when it is genuine.
He said Zambia has a lot of challenges that need to be addressed instead of politicians spending most of their time debating trivial matters.
Mr Siamunene said people need to know that what is done in the present will yield results, either positive or negative, in the future.
On road infrastructure, Mr Siamunene said the transferring of the Rural Roads Unit from the Ministry of Transport, Works Supply and Communication to the Ministry of Defence will yield positive results.
He said that he would ensure that ZNS complements other road projects that are currently underway in the country.
He said that a proper road infrastructure, especially in rural areas, will help boost the economy as sectors such as agriculture will improve greatly.
Mr Siamunene said rural roads play a significant role in national development as they become a magnet to pull investment.
He said infrastructure development is the backbone of every nation, adding that his ministry would ensure that roads in the rural areas are properly worked on.
Mr Siamunene said that to this effect, his ministry, through ZNS, has purchased state-of-art machinery to execute road projects effectively.