Maravi

Mwanachingwala criticises Rupiah's attacks on Nkomeshya

Mwanachingwala criticises Rupiah's attacks on Nkomeshya
By Henry Chibulu in Mazabuka
Tue 20 Sep. 2011, 10:00 CAT

CHIEF Mwanachingwala of Mazabuka has criticised President Rupiah Banda for publicly attacking senior chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II of the Soli people.

In an interview in Mazabuka last Friday, chief Mwanachingwala said President Banda should have used better channels to vent his anger on the traditional ruler instead of using a political battlefield to demonise her.

President Banda is my friend but I will advise him when he goes wrong; and on this particular issue, he was wrong. Only good friends will advise if you do wrong things, chief Mwanachingwala said.

He said President Banda could have sought the intervention of the House of Chiefs to iron out his differences with chieftainess Nkomeshya rather than wash dirty linen in public.

Chief Mwanachingwala also said President Banda has no powers to dethrone a chief as the duty to dethrone or elect a chief lies in members of the royal family.

For me, if anyone wants to dethrone me, I can go to court and the court will protect me because the Zambian laws are there and clearly state that only members of the royal family and not the government are allowed to choose chiefs, he said.

Chief Mwanachingwala also said the refusal by chieftainess Nkomeshya to meet President Banda was wrong, adding that the chieftainess could have taken advantage of the President's visit to complain about the under-development in her chiefdom.

During a campaign rally in Chongwe, President Banda threatened to dethrone chieftainess Nkomeshya following her hard stance on the MMD government over the lack of development in her chiefdom.

Labels: CHIEF MWANACHINGWALA, CHIEFS, CHIEFTIANESS NKOMESHYA, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:03 PM