•PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu commissioning the drilling of boreholes in Luano District of Central Province. This was yesterday on his continued tour of development projects. Picture by SALIM HENRY/STATE HOUSE

By REBECCA MUSHOTA in Serenje –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has said it is sad that business houses have been insincere with the reasons why they keep increasing prices of commodities even when the Kwacha has appreciated.
President Lungu said yesterday that it was unfortunate that despite the Kwacha appreciating against the US dollar recently, prices of commodities remained high.
Mr Lungu said this in Serenje when he met chiefs Mailo, Chibale, Serenje, Chisomo and Kabamba.
The President was responding to a question by Chief Chisomo who wanted to know why prices kept increasing.
“I am equally surprised because when the Kwacha to a dollar was about K14, they increased prices, but now it is K8 and the prices are still increasing,” Mr Lungu said.
President Lungu said such business houses were harming the economy.
He said the Government could be forced to enforce price control measures, but that did not support running of a liberalised economy.
The Head of State urged business houses to be sincere and ensure that prices should reflect the appreciation of the Kwacha.
Mr Lungu reiterated that he did not want to be forced to put in price control measures to protect consumers.
Commodity prices of especially locally-produced goods should be low.
Mr Lungu also visited the site at which police officers’ houses are been constructed and the Serenje District Hospital under construction.
Meanwhile, President Lungu has said the Government will sustain its goal to boost agricultural development even after copper prices improve.
President Lungu said agriculture was one of the most successful ways Zambia could diversify the economy from copper production and that the Government was committed to supporting commercial and small-scale farmers in order to achieve that.
The President said this when he met chiefs Chitambo and Muchinga of Central Province at Chitambo School of Nursing in Chitambo District.
Mr Lungu said for years now, Zambia had been talking diversification whenever copper production was in crisis, but gave up the moment copper prices went up.
“Let us sustain the momentum in rural areas, despite the copper prices doing well. We have been talking about diversification since 1964, whenever copper prices are low, but forget soon enough,” Mr Lungu said.
He said the Government wanted to pay farmers on time and build roads to give them easy access to the market.
President Lungu said there was need to boost agricultural cooperatives as a way to accelerate diversification of the economy.
Mr Lungu said copper mining was not consistent, but agriculture was sustainable.
The economies of countries like Malawi are doing well just depending on agriculture.
The President also said traditional leaders should not give up on their people but support the Government efforts.
He was happy that chiefs in Chitambo welcomed all Zambians despite coming from different areas of the country.
People also should show respect for chiefs and respect the traditional way Zambians have lived.
Chief Chitambo was happy President Lungu visited the people of that area within 10 months of being President.
He said the chiefs were willing to work with any good candidate the Patriotic Front (PF) adopted.
Chief Chitambo said President Lungu must rule for 10 years after 2016.
Meantime, at a rally at Mukando School, President Lungu said no Zambian should die of hunger and that the Government would do everything possible to ensure that relief food was provided.
Mr Lungu said he would also take to task the Food Reserve Agency over the payment of farmers after they complained of not being paid at the rally.
President Lungu also urged people to register as voters.