HH AND PF’S CHILUFYA CONFER

President Hakainde Hichilema conferring with PF Mansa Central Member of Parliament and Former Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya during the labour day commemoration being held at Kawole stadium in Mansa of Luapula Province.

The UPND New Dawn government as part of its  decentralisation programme has been holding various national events in different provinces across the country much to the appreciation of the citizens.

In the past, national events were only being held in the capital Lusaka, a situation that saw other provinces lag behind in terms of social and economic development.

Statement on Labour Day Celebrations in Mansa

Mr President, I am exceedingly proud and grateful that you are our esteemed guest in my humble constituency here, Mansa Central.

This very one act of your deliberate act to pick Mansa for this auspicious occasion of national labour day celebrations, is the microcosm of your broader strategy of promoting inclusivity and national unity using the Presidency.

The 2025 Labour Day theme: “Shaping Zambia’s future of work through home-grown solutions for inclusive economic growth” is not only appropriate for the hard working people of my constituency but is a summon to all of us to translate the natural resources in Luapula in to jobs; this includes our minerals inter Alia Sugilite and manganese. Value addition to our natural resources will be facilitated by an urgent upgrade in electricity, for instance upgrade of Musonda falls station; a direct line from  Pensulo to mansa.

Further our arable land and huge water bodies and swamps are opportunities for home grown solutions for the future of work for sustainable economic development.

Your mere visit is a major statement of intent and action that demonstrates that we can only grow as one inclusive, united, indivisible nation if we deliver economic opportunities evenly to all our regions.

Inclusive economic growth entails a recognition from all of us that we can only share wealth and not poverty.

In recognising this, we all must subscribe to a broad-based national economic agenda that leaves no one behind.

Your deliberate decentralisation of national events such as this one, like the Women’s Day; and Youth Day before this, must translate into real economic decentralisation from the activity- saturated Lusaka and other urban centres.

To achieve homegrown solutions for inclusive economic growth, we must set for ourselves a non-partisan developmental state that invests in people, creates opportunities for all and where all of us can derive the real democratic dividend.

Decent work  and labour rights are inalienable human endowments without which it shall not be possible for our population to thrive.

I encourage Your Excellency, to continue with this remarkable spirit of pursuing virtues of an inclusive society.