Zambians are ready for change – Nalubamba

Zambians are ready for change – Nalubamba
By George Chellah
Mon 30 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT

ZAMBIANS are ready for change, come what may, senior chief Bright Nalubamba of the Ila people of Southern Province has observed. In an interview, chief Nalubamba said it was only those who wanted to underrate Zambians that could say they were not ready for change.

"But from the look of things... I was in Kaunda days myself. I worked as a member of central committee. I know that Zambians are vying for change and you can't just play about Zambians the way you want to play about. Zambians are informed people, they listen, they hear and they are very informed," chief Nalubamba said.

"So one must be careful the way you handle the affairs of Zambians because they will disappoint you. I am pretty certain that Zambians are ready for change, come what may and that's not bad for the country. It's also a lesson for any government that comes into power in 2011 that you don't play about lives of the people in a light manner."

Chief Nalubamba said if PF leader Michael Sata or UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema formed government today or tomorrow, they should not be afraid of the opposition.

"They don't have to wait until five years lapses before the opposition's views are known to the people. If anything there must be interaction between the opposition and the ruling party so that they will be able to see that 'are we going the right way?' and the opposition must not be greedy. They must be available to give advice," he said.

Chief Nalubamba said the PF/UPND pact has come at the right time.

"Let me tell you: if the opposition in a democracy is an alternative government, I want to say that the pact has come at the right time. It has come at the right time, people have expressed views on how the government must be. But those views have been ignored. I want to believe that the pact will take into consideration the people.

They are with the people, they must take the views of the people correctly so that when they come into government they will be well enlightened about the wishes of the people correctly," chief Nalubamba said.

"The pact must be commended… who told you that even when the pact comes into power in 2011, who told you that they must be in power forever and ever? There must be change...in a democracy like in Britain and America people change systems, today it's Labour tomorrow it's Conservatives."

Chief Nalubamba wondered why Namwala UPND member of parliament Major Robbie Chizyuka filed an injunction against his expulsion if he was as popular in Namwala as he claims.

He also said traditional leaders live with people and know their needs more than anybody could claim to know.

"And we should be in a position to express their needs to whoever cares so that the politicians can respond effectively to the needs of the people. Even if you come to talk to us about clean water, about agriculture, veterinary services, about education and health...to me those are main elements of democracy and good governance," chief Nalubamba said.

"One should seek office as a politician and talk about how you can provide services in these various sections to the people. But the politicians don't see it that way either for selfish or greedy reasons.

They think that we are a threat to them, we are not. If anything, we are a very important stakeholder and we must be looked upon as people who can provide a service to the people as long as the linkage between the village and the national leaders is strengthened.

"As chiefs what we must do now is to wake up to a point where this linkage from the village to the national level through the province and from the province right down to the village must be strengthened so that we see the flow of information from the government to the people at lower level is facilitated effectively."

Chief Nalubamba said chiefs were not tools of the politicians.

"We are tools of the people for whom we are leaders. Those are our masters. If anything there is nothing to stop a chief from telling a government frankly and openly what the people's wishes are.

Otherwise, using us as a political tool just to sing praises for politicians even if they have not done well is an impossibility to any open-minded man," chief Nalubamba said. "We want to believe that our masters must be served properly.

If I praise you, it's because of your service delivery to my masters. If I criticise you it is for a purpose I want you to change for the better so that you can respond to the wishes of the people in a more effective manner."

Chief Nalubamba urged the government to dialogue with traditional leaders.

"When I talk, they think chief Nalubamba is anti-us, they don't even know I am talking for a purpose," said chief Nalubamba.