ACCEPTANCE SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU LUSAKA 25 January 2015. I greet you all in the name of our Lord and saviour , the Sovereign King of our land Jesus Christ. It is with great humility and tremendous joy that I stand before you today. After months of long nights and labour us campaigns. Firstly, let me acknowledge the efforts of allmy opponents, specifically I salute the president of UPND. Congratulations MRHAKAINDE HICHILEMA! Sir, you gave me agood run for this office, you put up a goodfight. Hats off. While some may see today as an end to a longjourney of a struggle for continuity in development , I see today as a beginning of along period for reconciliation and peace building. It will be folly for any of us to pretend that all is well after such a closely contested election. A lot of hopes were squash ed , emotions invested were hurt, hearts were broken and indeed in the end some lost more than they gained. It isdemocracy, it is the price for a democratic dispensation. That is why our new constitution must beenacted much sooner than later, we need toprevent the events of this election from ever happening again: the narrow losses or winsand the costly by-elections themselves. Inshort, we need to have a constitution be fitting the democratically advanced Zambia of today. My government will give you the constitution you want before the next general elections in 2016. You have the road map. It could havebeen stolen but it is still your roadmap. Next week I will be announcing my new cabinet. Our main task in the next few months will be to stabilize our economy and work towards completing what we started. We want to employ more people, reduce further the fuel prices, ensure farmers are supported with what they need to have a bountiful harvest this season; allow universities to offer highest standard of education; ensure hospitals being built are completed, complete structural development programmes, strategize on servicing our debts, create more jobs and weather for the people, manage our resources more responsibly and empower more young people to participate in our economy . I also wish to introduce a new policy and governance dialogue that will happen weekly. Every week, I and one cabinet minister will meet with the press to discuss that particular ministry and the work that we need to do as government . I told you that I was a man of the people, and that I will listen to you more. I believe that this dialogue entitled Katwamba will keep me in touch with the people and allow me to listen to you all and talk to you as your servant. I have learned a lot of things during this campaign and I will be seeking audience with some of my progressive counterparts in the opposition. Colleagues like Ms Nawakwi, who maintained a clean campaign and did not reduce herself to the low levels of others who were too proud to trust the electoral process. Indeed, I heard you when you condemned some decisions we have made over the few years in power. I heard all of you. I apologize for not being on the debate, but if I did come to that debate, I wouldnt have gotten some of the votes I got, and that was a risk I could not take-it paid off. Because some of the votes from some provinces were heart wrecking. My government is determined, now more than ever to uproot every inch of tribalism and nepotism from our government. I shall re-look at our foreign diplomatic servants in missions and make sure that everyone we send out is qualified for the task. No chibululu pa nchito. Although my leadership is not one of witch hunting, I will let the law take its course to ensure that those who owe you money through taxes pay you back! I will not interfere with that. I told you during campaigns, tulefwaya impiya shesu. Fellow Zambians, children of the most high God, I want to say thanks to many of you who voted and even those who did not whether by choice or circumstance. I want to thank the people of all provinces especially those who did not have faith in me, I am here to prove you wrong and show you that sometimes even the least of servants can be used to bring glory to the republic by God. I am extending a hand of peace to all party members of the PF who did not join us on this vision, but if need be I am asking them to leave the party and leave us who want to work, to work. Seleni tubombeko bane. This election has given the PF a wake up call, that in order to govern we must all work together. I admit that our results would have been more in our favor if we had our house in order earlier than we did. And so I thank all leaders in the PF who decided to go with the will of the people to have me as the president of the party and of the country. I will not let you down. I thank Dr Guy Scott, for his leadership in government during this period, and all MPs who worked so hard to give us votes. Not forgetting my well able campaign team. In little time you delivered much! But more importantly, thank you our people of Zambia. You the people have won this election. Like Namoya Likau in the remote part of the country, who has never seen a tarred road before, used to travel many kilometers to take her child to the hospital, did not have money for her family upkeep; she has won today because the PF she saw bring roads to the her village, build hospitals and schools and give her cash transfers; that PF she saw and voted for today is still in government. To deliver! Let me thank the Electoral Commission of Zambia through its gallant chairperson Justice Ireen Mambilima for maintaining their integrity and upholding the confidence of Zambians. It was not easy we know, but again you have outdone yourselves. In the course of this year, we will be proposing a bill in parliament that will allow the ECZ to be more independent and financially viable to conduct its business. We want the commission to explore modern technologies for conducting elections; we want it to have enough funds to raise awareness and reach more people of Zambia. And we do not want it to have interference from politicians. My speech would be incomplete if I did not honor the man whose steps I have the huge privilege to follow; and without whom this victory would not have been possible. My father, mentor, leader, friend. His Excellency Michael Chilufya Sata. I cannot fit in his shoes, and I will not even attempt to. I will simply remember your counsel, follow your vision and dreams, and indeed uphold your legacy. My president. MY NAME IS EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU AND I ACCEPT MY ELECTION TO OFFICE AS THE 6TH PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA. God bless you all
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 11:19:10 +0000