House of Chiefs challenged

Tue, 25 Apr 2017 10:26:09 +0000

By ROGERS KALERO

THE House of Chiefs has been challenged to state its position on the careless and partisan statements which some chiefs from Southern Province have been making following the arrest of opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema.

Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) Copperbelt provincial coordinator Poster Jumbe said it was important for the House of Chiefs to state its position on the behaviour of some chiefs from Southern Province over the arrest of the UPND leader so that people knew how to treat the partisan traditional leaders.

Mr Jumbe was reacting to media reports quoting Chief Bright Nalubamba as saying no one should mess with the life of HH because doing so was messing up with the lives of millions of Zambia.

And in the MAST of April 15, Chief Mukuni was also quoted as saying Zambians should be ready to die because they were dealing with the Presidency that was abusing the Bible by day and worshiping vengeance by night.

But, in response to the series of partisan statements which some Chiefs have been making in the media, Mr Jumbe said the House of Chiefs should state its position.

“Yes, the House of Chiefs should state its position over the behaviour of some of these chiefs. Is it in support or not? Are these chiefs cadres for UPND or Hichilema? If the traditional leaders have become political party cadres, we should know so that we know how to handle them,

“If these chiefs are so drunk with the respect we give them such that they want to become politicians, let them strip themselves of the respect they have by joining politics. We expect traditional to be working hard to promote unity in the country, but they are busy promoting division in the country,” Mr Jumbe said.

Mr Jumbe, however commended Senior Chief Mweemba and Chief Sinazongwe for urging President Edgar Lungu to remain focused on taking development in various parts of Zambia.

He said self-less traditional leaders should desist from taking a partisan stance, but should strive to promote unity by giving counsel to both opposition and ruling parties as a way of promoting peace and harmony in the country.

“Traditional leaders should not support criminal behaviour, just because the person involved is from their province. Chiefs should be like parents and embrace every Zambian regardless of tribe, religion and political affiliations.

“We can’t have chiefs supporting criminality. What impression are these chiefs creating? Any way, they know why they are behaving like that, but am happy that Chief Mweemba and Sinazongwe gave President Lungu words of encouragement telling him to remain focused,” He said.