Rupiah's people didn't treat us well - Mwene Kahare

Rupiah's people didn't treat us well - Mwene Kahare
By Mwala Kalaluka in Njonjolo, Kaoma
Thursday October 09, 2008 [04:01]

MWENE Kahare of the Nkoya people in Kaoma has expressed disappointment over the undignified treatment that chiefs who were rounded up to meet MMD presidential aspirant Rupiah Banda during his campaign visit to the district received from the government.

And Mwene Kahare said people in his area were fed up and tired of politicians that made development promises they did not ultimately fulfill.
Speaking when PF vice-president Guy Scott paid a courtesy call on him at his Lukena Palace in Njonjolo area of Kaoma on Monday, Mwene Kahare thanked the PF leader for taking the trouble to see him in his domain, as opposed to some politicians that were flying around.

Mwene Kahare, who was among the chiefs that were picked up from their respective palaces to meet Vice-President Banda in Kaoma last week, complained that they were literally dumped by the ruling party and government officials immediately after their interaction with the Vice-President.

"Those who are always flying, the MMD, had to dump us in those lodges in Kaoma and we were even starving," Mwene Kahare complained. "In the morning, it was just an order from the DC's district commissioner's office that 'you take them back'. I feel that was very disappointing."

Earlier, Dr Scott said PF, once voted into power, would ensure that the chiefs were not just respected but have their powers restored.

"Yes, you are respected but you have no powers because the government has taken them away," he told Mwene Kahare and his indunas. "We would like to see more work for the traditional leadership in this country."
Dr Scott said he did not expect Mwene Kahare to go around campaigning for the PF because the law was very clear over the active involvement of chiefs in politics, but that he expected to see the traditional leader play an active role in ensuring that his people did not tamper with the votes.
"I will come back here and you can even sjambok me if I do not do the right job," said Dr Scott.

And Mwene Kahare said the time had come for another Moses to lead Zambia into the promised land.

"This is the current situation because the MMD were more less like our Moses which we looked up. But now they have failed to fulfill their programmes and we feel that God has appointed another Moses," Mwene Kahare said in Nkoya. "So go ahead meet all the other chiefs so that we can forge our heads together."

He said since the dawn of independence, the development promises that successive governments had pledged to undertake in his chiefdom had not been implemented.

"We are tired because we have been receiving political agendas and promises, we always gave them our votes but things have not been successful," he said. "You can see the road that you have come on."
Mwene Kahare said since the time that Kaoma Central MMD member of parliament Austin Liato was elected, he had not visited the area.
"Such things are actually a concern for us. These people that I have mentioned are our fellow Zambians but I feel they have not done anything for us," he said. "The message that you have brought us, we have received it wholeheartedly."

Mwene Kahare's prime minister Mwanashihemi Muzala advised the PF to focus on rural areas ahead of the presidential poll so that they garner as many votes there, too.

However, some other indunas said they would wait and see if the PF could concretise its promises once given a chance to run the country's affairs.