Livngstone council’s inertia worries Mwape

By NDUBI MVULA

VICE - PRESIDENT Lupando Mwape is concerned by alleged inertia at the Livingstone City Council in developing the city.

He said the  council, which is dominated by the opposition United Party for national Development (UPND), was not working on road rehabilitation despite funding from the World Bank.

Mr Mwape said this when he toured Kariba Textiles in  the industrial area where the road network is virtually impassable, serve for the partial grading done by the council prior to his visit.

He said there were major roads in the city which have not been worked on.

Mr Mwape said the council was dominated by the  UPND who were leaders in reserve but wondered if they could manage to run central government if they are failing to do so at the local level.

On a complaint by Kariba Textiles management that it was difficult for their products to penetrate the local market due to cheap imports, Mr Mwape said it was not Government’s intention to choke the local manufacturing industry hence the decision to zero rate importation of machinery.

He said President Mwanawasa’s administration would not allow  local industries  to be choked by the foreign products, but instead would strive towards improving the status of local ones.

Mr Mwape also said politics should not be allowed to take centre stage in national development but Zambians should work together regardless of political affiliation.

He also urged the sole surviving blanket manufacturing industry in the city to venture into other provinces and not only concentrate on Livingstone.

“If those in Livingstone do not want to make use of your products come to my area or other areas in the country where you can be accommodated,” he said.

Mr Mwape also ordered Livingstone mayor, Fines Chidakwa to call for an emergency council meeting and look into the application for land  by Kariba Textiles which has been pending since 2004.

He said there was no need for the local authority to delay the application, adding that if there was no land available the investor should be told so rather than keep quiet.

He said this in response to Kariba Textiles managing director, Deepak Goel’s complaint over the delayed reply to his application for land needed for expansion of the factory.

Mr Goel also complained that no government department had shown support  buying the blankets, noting that only the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and non-governmental organisations were buying from the company.