Maravi

Shakumbila apologises

Shakumbila apologises
By Lambwe Kachali
Friday June 20, 2008 [04:00]

SENIOR Chief Shakumbila of the Sala people of Mumbwa district has apologised to President Levy Mwanawasa and the people of Zambia for using derogatory language against chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II. And the Soli Cultural Association (SOCA) said they would take legal action against chief Shakumbila for insulting chieftainess Nkomeshya.

In a letter dated June 19, 2008 addressed to local government minister Sylvia Masebo and copied to the House of Chiefs chairman, chief Shakumbila regretted using derogatory language against chieftainess Nkomeshya.

"On Wednesday, 18 June, 2008, The Post Newspapers in its lead story entitled 'KK warns against land disputes' reported about the meeting which took place in my chiefdom near Nampundwe. In the story I was quoted as having used some derogatory language against senior chieftainess Nkomeshya of the Soli people over land boundary now going on between us," chief Shakumbila stated. "I would like to take this opportunity to apologise with deep regret to His Excellency the President Dr Levy Mwanawasa, the government, senior chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo and the general public for the language attributed to me by The Post Newspapers' article quoted above. It is my sincere hope that my apology will be accepted by all concerned in the spirit of reconciliation with my fellow traditional leaders."

Chief Shakumbila appealed to the government to resolve the problem amicably.

"However, I would like to appeal to the government to take positive steps to intervene in our dispute in order to ensure that the problem is resolved in an amicable manner. I therefore, appeal to all my people to remain calm as we proceed towards an amicable solution of this matter through our government," stated chief Shakumbila.

But SOCA president Charles Mwambi charged that chief Shakumbila had no moral right to insult chieftainess Nkomeshya. In a statement released on Wednesday, Mwambi stated that chief Shakumbila had been on the throne for approximately one month, 16 days and therefore his background could not be compared to chieftainess Nkomeshya.
"We the Soli Cultural Association and the Soli establishment are angered by senior chief Shakumbila's direct attack and insults against senior chief Nkomeshya Mukamambo II.

No matter how serious and deadly the issue at hand is, Shakumbila has only been on the throne for approximately one month, 16 days and his background is unknown as compared to chieftainess' 37 years of being on the throne. We are wondering what battles he is claiming to have fought in less than one month, 16 days of being on the throne, unless he is telling us that he has been in criminal activities before ascending to the throne," Mwambi said.

He said it was an insult for chief Shakumbila to assume that if chieftainess Nkomeshya was looking for marriage, she should go to his chiefdom where men would marry her.

"We consider him as somebody who has not passed through the mill to handle such traditional matters because there have been chiefs before him and there have never been disputes between the two chiefdoms. We find Shakumbila's utterances against senior chieftainess Nkomeshya to be lacking of merit especially that it is coming from a man of his status in the society.

Is he telling us that only married women should rise to positions of influence in Zambia?" Mwambi asked. "It is an insult not only to her Royal Highness but all women in general for Shakumbila to insinuate that it is only women who are married that could rise to positions of influence."

Mwambi also appealed to the government to move in quickly and resolve the issue or else they would sound traditional drums for battle. He said people in chieftainess Nkomeshya's area were ready to face chief Shakumbila head on at Mwembeshi River.
Mwambi further said they would start legal proceedings against chief Shakumbila over his alleged insults.

"We are appealing to the government to move in quickly and resolve this issue or else we will sound a traditional drum and everybody will move to Mwembeshi with heavy artilleries and drive all Salas out of that area. For the insults Shakumbila has leveled against our senior chieftainess, we will start legal proceedings for him to appear in court in person," said Mwambi.

Meanwhile, Patriotic Front (PF) president Micheal Sata yesterday said the boundary between chieftainess Nkomeshya and chief Shakumbila had never bypassed the railway line.

Sata, who spoke as former local government and minister of state for decentralisation, said it was unfortunate that chieftainess Nkomeshya who served in the second Republic as member of the central committee was deliberately trying to cause confusion over the boundary issue.

Sata said it was not the first time chieftainess Nkomeshya was claiming other people's land. He said at one time, chieftainess Nkomeshya claimed to take over land from chieftainess Chiyawa of the Goba people in Kafue district and the land in Mungule chiefdom.
"When she came to me, I told her off. I said, 'Madam sorry; Soli area is concentrated around Chongwe district'.

Why all of the sudden now she is becoming, and grows wings and to say Soli land goes as far as Mwembeshi River? Where was she to claim this land today? That land belongs to chief Shakumbila's chiefdom. Nkomeshya is just a problem. Chieftainess Nkomeshya wants to be president of Lusaka Province because next time she will issue a decree that anybody who doesn't come from Lusaka Province should leave.

As far as I know, being former local government minister, the artificial boundary, which has no consequence for the Soli area is railway line," Sata said.

Sata commended Masebo for warning the two chiefs against threatening peace in the country. He also appealed to Masebo to prevail over the wrangles in order to avoid similar future problems.

However, Sata said there was no article or clause in the Constitution that allowed the government or the President to dissolve any chiefdom.
"According to the existing laws, when the chief of any chiefdom is found wanting, he or she can either be suspended and if the offence is so serious, the President has powers to withdraw the recognition of that chief and ask the elders to recommend another person according to the family tree of that chiefdom.

So, Honourable Masebo should not use threats to resolve these wrangles because there is no law. Honourable Masebo should also prevail on her aunt because it is her aunt chieftainess Nkomeshya who started the trouble. In fact, in this case, chieftainess Nkomeshya should be suspended and investigations should be launched against her until the matter is resolved," said Sata.

Labels: CHIEF SHAKUMBILA, CHIEFS, CHIEFTIANESS NKOMESHYA

posted by MrK @ 4:23 AM