CHIEFS KEY, DEVELOPMENT COMING – HH
President Hakainde Hichilema writes below…
This afternoon we met with ten (10) traditional leaders here in Ndola among them were Chief Lumpuma, Chief Chiwala, Chieftaincy Malembeka, Chief Nkambo, Chief Machiya,
Chieftaincy Lesa, and Chieftaincy Shibukunami.
Others were Chief Mwinuna, Chief Mukutuma, and Chief Kalunkumya
Through the Leader of the Lamba Lima Loyal Council, His Royal Highness Chief Nkambo, they informed us of the challenges they are facing which included the fact that previously they have not been involved in the decision making processes. They said that they felt sidelined and frustrated because of this exclusion.
They also informed us of the challenges they are facing which included lack of roads, health care facilities and education facilities. They appealed to us to quickly expedite development in all rural areas.
In our response we thanked them for allowing their subjects to exercise their constitutional right by voting for us. We acknowledged the role the people of Copperbelt played and continue to play including to put the UPND in power and also economic purposes.
We assured the leadership that from this point, they will be treated with dignity. They are the first line of Government, therefore any decent Government must respect Chiefs and traditional leadership.
They are the custodians of our values and culture. The Government will work with our traditional leadership to deliver development in true partnership through our devolution or decentralisation programme.
We stated that it is unacceptable for women to walk long distances to get water and that this is the reason the bulk of the 2022 budget will be dedicated to devolve services and financial resources from the central Government to local Government of which traditional leadership is part. We also proposed that we hold a conference of traditional leaders to discuss their redefined role in the new dawn Government. No one will be left behind and development will be equitably distributed.
With this approach, we will do more to develop this country. We call on all Zambians to respect our traditional authorities.
God bless Zambia.
Hakainde Hichilema
President of the Republic of Zambia
