PRESIDENT HICHILEMA CONCLUDES NORTHERN TOUR AS VICE PRESIDENT RETURNS FOR STATE FUNERAL OF DR. GUY SCOTT

President Hakainde Hichilema has successfully concluded a pivotal Northern Tour, traversing multiple provinces to engage with communities and underscore his administration's commitment to decentralised development. The tour, which saw the Head of State visit areas including Muchinga and Northern Provinces, focused on rallying support for the United Party for National Development (UPND) government's economic and social transformation agenda. During his engagements, President Hichilema highlighted key infrastructure projects, agricultural initiatives, and social programmes aimed at improving livelihoods and reducing regional disparities. Simultaneously, Vice President Dr. W.K. Mutale Nalumango returned to the capital, Lusaka, to participate in the state funeral of Dr. Guy Lindsay Scott, Zambia's former Vice President. Dr. Scott, who passed away recently at the age of 82, was accorded a state funeral by President Hichilema in recognition of his distinguished professional and political contributions to the nation. His calm leadership during the constitutional transition following the death of President Michael Sata in 2014, when he briefly served as acting Head of State, was particularly lauded. The government declared a five-day period of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast, culminating in his burial at Leopards Hill Memorial Park. President Hichilema's Northern Tour saw him outline robust commitments to various sectors. In Nakonde, he emphasised the Mwenzo International Airport and the One-Stop Border Post as vital economic engines. Mafinga residents were assured that increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocations would prioritise feeder road upgrades, while plans for a large-scale phosphate mine were revealed in Isoka. The President also reiterated the impact of the Free Education policy and decentralised CDF in Chinsali, demonstrating a comprehensive approach to regional development. The dual focus on national development and honouring a