Maravi

HH overshadows Rupiah at Lwiindi

HH overshadows Rupiah at Lwiindi
Written by Chibaula Silwamba and George Zulu in Monze
Wednesday, July 08, 2009 5:36:12 PM

UPND-PF pact co-leader Hakainde Hichilema on Monday overshadowed President Rupiah Banda at the Lwiindi Gonde traditional ceremony of the Tonga people of Southern Province.

And Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete said it was a big challenge to maintain African tradition and culture amidst globalisation and technological advancements that are eroding culture.

Meanwhile, senior chief Moonze of the Tonga people requested President Banda and his government to recognise him as a paramount chief in Southern Province.

The audience cheered Hichilema whenever he stood up to join the dancers and give them gifts.

When Monze district Lwiindi Gonde organising committee chairperson Rex Natala apparently forgot to acknowledge the presence of Hichilema, who is also Lwiindi Gonde patron, the audience and especially people who sat behind the UPND leader in the VIP tent repeatedly shouted "HH! HH! Zambia forward!"

When Natala praised the government, some people in the VIP tent were heard shouting: 'Corruption! Corruption!'

After observing the continued shouts, Hichilema called his deputy Richard Kapita, who in turn told party acting secretary general Chibwe to ask the UPND supporters to stop shouting. Chibwe was later seen going round the VIP seats beckoning people to stop chanting anti-government slogans.

After Natala's speech, President Banda and his Tanzanian counterpart, Kikwete, went into the arena to give gifts to the dancers without cheers or ululations. But later, as Hichilema walked into the arena while flashing a UPND symbol to give gifts to a performer of Kuyabila, the audience spontaneously cheered him amid shouts 'HH! Zambia forward!'

When Hichilema walked into the arena and the audience cheered him, President Kikwete kept on talking to tourism minister Catherine Namugala while showing the hand gestures (UPND symbol), apparently asking why Hichilema was using that symbol when walking into the arena. Meanwhile, the people who sat behind Presidents Banda and Kikwete, were also shouting: 'Boma ni Boma' [Government is government!]”

In his speech, Hichilema, who is also Lwiindi traditional ceremony patron, defied the directive not to be political and acknowledged the presence of opposition political party leaders.

"Thank you to all various organisations that have been able to be represented here, including political parties and Given Lubinda representing Michael Sata, thank you very much," Hichilema said.

Hichilema said Zambia was a country of diversity.

"Zambia is proud to have substantial and varied traditional ceremonies and cultures," Hichilema said.

"In this part of the country, there are no ceremonies of that celebrate war. There are ceremonies that celebrate economic and social development such as this particular ceremony. The dance I performed Mr President is not a violent dance, it's a dance that is demonstrated 40 kilometers from here where I was born and we celebrate that when more of our cattle has breed when we have to celebrate a good harvest. That is what people do and these are your people Mr President."

He said the Lwiindi Gonde had several aspects, one of which was rain making while the other was thanks giving to God for the good harvest.

"For many of the people in this area, they depend on agriculture and the paramount chief Moonze was known for making sure that the population was well fed. If there were rain problems or shortages of rains, Moonze Mukulu prayed to the ancestors so the rain came and so people planted, so they could have food," Hichilema said.

"As you know a population that is hungry is the population that is angry."

He said the ancestors did their part and now was the time for the current generation to play its role.

And President Kikwete said Africans must be vigilant to make sure that their cultures were not eroded.

"I thank you so much your royal highness for agreeing with President Banda for me to visit you and witness this important ceremony of the Tonga people. A ceremony dedicated to thanking God for the good rain and for the good harvest; the ceremony of asking God to give you good rains and good harvest next year. I say I am very impressed from what I have seen and what I have heard particularly from the words of chief Moonze Mukulu of the Tonga people," President Kikwete said.

“Your royal highness, may I also say a few words of praise for maintaining your tradition and culture. I say you deserve praise because in these modern days of information communication technological revolution and globalisation, to maintain our traditional African cultures is a big challenge indeed. The television, the computer, the video games and the mobile phones seem to be stealing the hearts and minds of our young men and women."

He observed that young people tend to spend more time on these gadgets and in the process learn and acquire foreign cultures and traditions. He asked chief Moonze and the Tonga people to maintain their traditions.

"Please make sure that the younger people and the educated young men and women are fully involved and participate actively and that they don’t participate like expatriates from Europe," President Kikwete said.

"They should be proud of participating in their traditions; educated or uneducated so long they are Tonga people they must participate in this tradition."

President Kikwete said it was a revolution that he had visited a village in Zambia because on many occasions he and other heads of state only go to Lusaka.

"I join you in thanking God for the good rains and the good harvest; I also join you in asking God Almighty to give you good rains and good harvest next season and forever. There should be no season when there is no rainfall and no good harvest until the Day of Judgment," said President Kikwete.

And President Banda acknowledged Hichilema's remarks that Tonga people were peaceful. President Banda said he could not deliver his speech but hoped to do so next year.

Labels: CEREMONIES, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, JAKAYA KIKWETE, LWIINDI, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:38 PM