By JACKSON MAPAPAYI
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says all the outstanding allowances owed to traditional leaders throughout the country will be paid and settled and that his administration will not segregate but work with all the chiefs.
And Mr Hichilema says the country is now peaceful owing to the restoration of the rule of law and order.
President Hichilema said he will work embrace all traditional leaders whether they supported him or not and foster development. He was speaking when he called on Senior Chief Sikufele of Manyinga.
He said it was only through embracing chiefs that development could be attained in the country.
“We will work with all his royal highnesses across the country without segregation for development’s sake. Whether you supported me or not, I will work with you. All the allowances owed to our chiefs across the country will be paid and we shall also ensure the palaces are rehabilitated,” said President Hichilema.
He said he was aware that some chiefs were sidelined in the previous regime for supporting him while in opposition which resulted into retarded development in some chiefdoms.
He said his new dawn administration would ensure that development was evenly distributed in the country especially with the increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Mr Hichilema aid he is aware that some constituencies like Manyinga never used to get the CDF simply because they were deemed to be opposition.
“But now, we are not segregating at all. All the 156 constituencies are receiving the same amount and at the same time,” he said.
He said the CDF was a game changer especially for rural communities hence the decision by the government to increase it.
President Hichilema also disclosed that the government is working towards resolving the bottlenecks surrounding the disbursement of CDF.
And Senior Chief Sikufele pledged to work with the new dawn administration to foster development in his chiefdom.
He however appealed to government to address some of the challenges his subjects are facing.
He cited the poor road network as one of the major challenge his subjects are grappling with.
“We also have the issue of education infrastructure, we need more classroom blocks because currently the schools are filled up to full capacity due to the introduction of free education,” Senior Chief Sikufele said.
