EDITORIAL - Chiefs and comfort
Chiefs and comfortBy Editor
Monday April 02, 2007 [04:00]
Paramount chief Mpezeni's desire to economically compete with politicians or members of parliament is what causes a lot of our people to lose respect and confidence in our traditional leaders. Over the years, most of our traditional leaders seem to be continually misplacing their priorities concerning their subjects as they concentrate energies in fighting for their personal welfare. We think that our chiefs should take comfort in the feeling of being near and necessary to the people they lead.
Mpezeni is now trying in a small way to articulate issues concerning his subjects. But those who have followed his activities over the years know very well what he is up to; that he is speaking more for himself than for his subjects. This can be said to be true with most of our traditional leaders. It is embarrassing to see chiefs, sometimes those who are not in dire need, seeking and soliciting for favours and gifts from politicians, leaving their subjects' problems unattended to.
It is not uncommon to hear chiefs lament about their dilapidated palaces, lack of transport and low allowances among other things. But these chiefs spend very little time on campaigning against their subjects problems collectively. Most of the time, what we hear from these chiefs are messages of blackmail against politicians who have not given them this or that, or done this or that for them not to be voted for. We saw this happen last year during campaigns to the run up to the presidential elections.
By saying this, we are not in any way trying to belittle or insult our chiefs. We are merely raising concerns about this tendency among our traditional leaders to worry more about their comfort than anything else. This tendency is not only harmful to our traditional leaders but the nation and its future as a whole.
Like we have observed before, this kind of excessive desire for comfort and all sorts of favours leads to greed. And greediness may lead an individual to a feeling of frustration and disappointment. It is said that the desire for riches can make even wise men blind to the truth and prevent them from being honest. We know many good people, including traditional leaders, who gradually fell into the clutches of some corrupt leaders in the recent past through gifts and sometimes outright bribes all because they wanted to satisfy their desire to in comfort.
Today, Mpezeni wants to be as comfortable as our politicians. But he doesn't seem to want to know why our politicians generally appear to lead more comfortable lives than the people that put them into those positions. Yes, our politicians may appear to lead better lives because generally they are greed people. Most of them are in politics to serve themselves although they may claim to be sacrificing for the people.
We know that the current economic hardships do not only affect our traditional leaders but the whole country in general. And all the well-meaning individuals are fighting for the good of the entire citizenry, not a group or a class of individuals or leaders.
This country needs people who are going to stand up for the good of everyone, not their own good. This country needs people who are going to stand up for what is right, even if it cost their lives. Political favours, or gifts, can blind one from seeing the truth and political realities of his or her country.
If Mpezeni today is given the Toyota Land Cruiser similar to those being driven by our members of parliament, what guarantee is there that he will continue speaking for his people's needs?
There is need for our traditional leaders to identify priorities and appreciate their roles in society. They should not surrender themselves to the standards of political pirates whose main interest is to satisfy their selfish interest at the expense of the suffering Zambians.
It is important that our traditional leaders lead by example. What most of them are showing us now is a bad example of leadership. Most of our chiefs are now very easy to 'buy' with favours. In some cases, they even offer themselves publicly to be 'bribed' with favours here and there. Some even openly castigate politicians who have failed to honour their promises of empowering them with certain things.
Clearly, most of our traditional leaders have proved not to be a good source of inspiration in our lives. Our people are no longer looking up to chiefs for guidance and inspiration.
However, our chiefs should be reminded that although greed arrives by the desire to obtain something, it is not satisfied by obtaining. It is limitless and always will want something more and more. This is the danger with greediness. Our chiefs should learn to be content with what they have.
This is not to say we should not give them what they deserve to suit the honour and dignity that their positions require. What we are saying is that most of our chiefs have put this principle aside and are all out to abuse their positions to solicit favours and gifts from the powerful in society. If not checked, this can be a great source of corruption. We should not forget that many years ago, it was our chiefs who sold their subjects to slave traders for pieces of beads, among other things.
posted by MrK @ 3:46 PM
1 Comments:
What if chiefs had their own way of making money in their own chiefdoms?
For instance, if all companies payed 20% of their turnover to a company held by the chief, all other things being in line with national laws (on emission, workers protections, etc.) it would be stimulate the rural economies.
It would mean that chiefs could be promoting real investment in their areas, and have more than enough money left to provide some infrastructure, set up industries, set up mutually beneficial agricultural cooperatives, etc.
If they had honest, well educated advisors, they could help themselves and their people out.
I think it also would mean that chiefs or their heirs should have good levels of education.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home