Maravi

Chief Luembe bemoans govt’s unfulfilled promises

Chief Luembe bemoans govt’s unfulfilled promises
By Christopher Miti in Nyimba
Tue 19 Oct. 2010, 06:40 CAT

EASTERN Province Royal Foundation vice-chairperson senior chief Luembe has observed that Zambians have suffered the consequences of fruitless promises. And Citizens Forum executive secretary Simon Kabanda said a good constitution is a cure to numerous problems that the people are facing in the social sector.

During an awareness meeting organised by the Citizens Forum on the plight of the disabled children at his palace, chief Luembe of the Nsenga people said it was bad that traditional leaders were accused of belonging to the opposition whenever they complained about the problems that people faced.

“We have problems with roads and a number of issues. We have a maternity ward at the clinic just here near the palace, it was built four years ago but it is still very dormant. It has not been handed over. Now what are we waiting for to do these things? All these are some of the projects that we have been complaining about but it’s falling on the deaf ear,” chief Luembe said last week.

He said he was privileged to have attended a seminar organized by a certain Non-Governmental Organization with the President and traditional leaders raised many issues pertaining to national development. However, chief Luembe said the chiefs were not heard.

“We have our member of parliament here who can tell them the truth about the problems in the constituency but he has been ignored in most
cases,” he said.

“Now this is bad because an MP cannot be government to do things on his own. Now because of this a rural person like me will accuse an MP that he is not doing anything to help the people but it’s not true.

If truly things starts from the grass root level as they say, they should be listening to our complaints. As we are nearing elections you will find that so many bicycles are coming in. Vote for me! Vote for what!

Some of us are even being accused of belonging to parties they we don’t even belong to. I am non-partisan, I belong to nobody and I receive any visitor. As a traditional leader I am a father of everybody.”

Chief Luembe said he embraced all people but it would be wrong for politicians to link him to any political party.

He said the issues that traditional leaders such as roads, clinics and schools did not belong to any political party but the community.
Chief Luembe said the government should think of the poor people in remote areas.

And Kabanda, who toured all the four chiefdoms in Nyimba, said it was important for certain things to be enshrined in the constitution so that the government could be compelled to follow them.

Kabanda said there was no hope that certain rights could be included in the constitution because the constitution making process had been closed.

“Where we are now there is no hope that these rights are going to be included in the new constitution although they have been proposed in the draft constitution. Government has halted the constitution making process. We would like to appeal to you the traditional leaders if you can implore the government to take care of the constitution making process,” Kabanda said.

He also emphasized the need for the electorate to sign social contracts with the elected leaders.

Kabanda said the health sector had collapsed in the country. Kabanda made the remarks after he helped to take an expectant mother, who was being transported on a bicycle, to the hospital. The woman was being taken to Chinambi clinic, about 15 kilometres from her Kapitu village. By the time she was assisted by Kabanda, she had covered about eight kilometres.

Labels: CHIEF LUEMBE, CHIEFS, SIMON KABANDA

posted by MrK @ 3:44 PM