By ANDREW MUKOMA
Southern Province Minister Cornelius Mweetwa says that most chiefdom wrangles are as a result of political interference.
Mr Mweetwa therefore said the New Dawn government will not interfere in the selection of people to ascend to the chieftaincy.
He was speaking during the Southern Province Chiefs’ Council meeting in Livingstone.
Traditional leaders have convened to select the representatives of the 2021-2026 House of Chiefs members.
Mr Mweetwa said that it was the desire of government to see to it that wrangles were eliminated and people living in harmony.
“It is the desire of his His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema and his government at large that the selection of heirs to the throne of chieftaincy must not be interfered with because of various chiefdoms have their own customs of selection of chiefs whether be patrilineal or matrilineal.
“His excellency has made it it clear that his administration will respect those traditions and customs in order to reduce ascendancy to the chieftaincy wrangles. It is the view of his Excellency that some of the wrangles as to who selects chief is as a result of political interference in the process of selection of who becomes a chief,” he added
Mr MweetwaI assured the traditional leaders that the new dawn administration will respect chiefs at all times.
He said that President Hichilema’s administration will at all times engage traditional leaders in the better management of natural resources.
The Minister said this is so because citizens should benefit from the local resources.
“Among them is the issue of palaces, the President is aware that a number of our royal Highness have no better places and official houses. It is his desire to remedy this situation,” he said
Mr Mweetwa said Government would ensure that chiefs’ palaces were a standard across the country.
He assured traditional leaders that the phasing out of the chiefs and traditional affairs ministry and the creation of new ministries will not in anyway affect the welfare of traditional leaders in the country.
The meeting has brought together all the 22 traditional leaders in the province.
