Maravi

Rupiah has treated us unfairly - N/Western chiefs

Rupiah has treated us unfairly - N/Western chiefs
By David Chongo in Solwezi
Wed 17 Nov. 2010, 04:01 CAT

FOUR senior chiefs from North-Western Province have accused President Rupiah Banda of snubbing them after they sought to meet him.

The traditional leaders, Mujimanzovu, Kasempa, Kalilele and Nyakuleng’a, travelled to Lusaka to meet President Banda last week over the dismissal of North -estern Province permanent secretary Dr Eustern Mambwe.

However, the chiefs were told that President Banda was in Chipata and would meet them at an appropriate time.

According to the chiefs, they waited for him to return to Lusaka but they still could not manage to meet him because he was not ready.

Chief Mujimanzovu said the traditional leaders made an effort to seek audience with the President in good faith but he shunned them.

Chief Mujimanzovu, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said they were unhappy that President Banda declined to meet them and yet they had legitimate issues to raise with him.

“We were still around in Lusaka when the President returned and we thought that he could have given us even 30 minutes. Even just to tell us something, he could have given us an option. But now he sends our own son foreign affairs minister Kabinga Pande to come and tell us that he is not able to meet us, and now we should go back,” chief Mujimanzovu said in an interview upon return from Lusaka. “That in itself has made us feel belittled. We are not appreciated as chiefs. The head of state is our father. If we have a problem, we can run to him. But if we are sort of sidelined, then where else shall we go? This in itself has made us very, very sad.”

Chief Mujimanzovu said the traditional leaders were not keen to undertake another trip to Lusaka but would instead call for a meeting with the President in Solwezi, North-Western Province.
He said Dr Mambwe had initiated many positive developments in the province and his dismissal was ill-timed.

Chief Mujimanzovu said Dr Mambwe had spearheaded the rehabilitation of Solwezi airport, Mushindamo border post and chiefs’ palaces.

Chief Mujimanzovu wondered why such a hard-working public officer could be fired by the government.

And chieftainess Nyakuleng’a said traditional leaders from other parts of the country had never been ignored in such a manner.

She said the chiefs respected President Banda and expected him to hear them out.
“But just to turn us back and say he will call us at an appropriate time, really, we felt that we have not been fairly treated” said chieftainess Nyakuleng’a.

Dr Mambwe, who served as permanent secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Transport prior to his transfer to North-Western Province, was replaced by Daniel Bowazi.

Six traditional leaders were initially supposed to travel to Lusaka but chiefs Matebo and Mulonga could not make it.

Labels: CHIEFS, NORTHWESTERN PROVINCE, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:14 PM