Role of chiefs in development is cardinal, observes Lumbama

Role of chiefs in development is cardinal, observes Lumbama
Written by Justin Katilungu in Kabwe
Saturday, October 03, 2009 5:36:42 PM

CENTRAL Province Permanent Secretary Denny Lumbama has challenged chiefs in the province to elect dedicated, selfless and hardworking representatives to the House of Chiefs.

Opening the special provincial chief council meeting in Kabwe on Wednesday to elect three chiefs to represent others in the House, Lumbama said that the role of traditional leaders in spearheading development was cardinal for Zambia.

He said that among the many functions of the representatives to the House would be to initiate and discuss matters that relate to customary law and consider any matter referred to it by the President.

"From this list of functions, it is clear that persons that you will elect to the House should be those who must be committed, hardworking and selfless to the improvement of the status of the people of this province," he said.

The current crop of chiefs to the House was elected three years ago.

Lumbama said that the House in his view could not be the right place for individuals who aimed at advancing their self-interests through membership.

"Let me re-emphasise by appealing that the elements of commitment, hard work, dedication and selflessness should be paramount in identifying people to represent this province," he stressed.

Lumbama said that in Zambia, the government attached great importance to the House of Chiefs.

He said chiefs were cardinal in helping in the improvement of quality leadership and guidance, which were norms that people needed in their lives.

"You and government can influence change in the people's attitudes towards self improvement, consequently chiefs are not only part of our tradition but they are also part of the nation's kit for bringing about necessary social economic change," he said.

Lumbama observed that a number of chiefs had done well while a clique of their colleagues still needed to improve.

Lumbama assured the traditional leaders that the government would continue to undertake programmes aimed at improving their welfare.

He said interventions such as increased chiefs' subsidies were already being made and that most of them now owned vehicles with their palaces lit through solar panels.

And separately, Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union (CSAWU) Kabwe branch chairperson Richard Salivaji junior has urged the government not to use the change of the national budget cycle as a scapegoat for not resuming salary negotiations.

Salivaji said in a statement issued in Kabwe yesterday that the government already foresaw the budget cycle arrangement especially that it even presented a Bill to Parliament over the matter.

"Government cannot wait for the last minute to begin the negotiation process as this is against the spirit of transparency and fair play. We ask the government to call for these negotiations at the shortest possible time," Salivaji said.

He said that upon calling the stakeholders to the negotiations, the government team must attach seriousness to the deliberations considering the time left before the budget presentation.

"We cannot go on heaping the blame on the change of the budget cycle as this was foreseen at the presentation of the bill to Parliament. It is our desire that these negotiations will bear fruitful results for both parties," said Salivaji.

He said the concerns expressed by Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Leonard Hikaumba on government's failure to call for salary negotiations and other conditions of service were timely and justified.