Maravi

Nkomeshya's sentiments a tip of the iceberg, says Nawakwi

Nkomeshya's sentiments a tip of the iceberg, says Nawakwi
By Bright Mukwasa
Sun 04 Sep. 2011, 14:30 CAT

SENIOR chieftainess Nkomeshya refusal to meet President Rupiah Banda ahead of his rally in Chongwe is just a tip of the ice-berg he will have to face, says FDD leader Edith Nawakwi.

Nawakwi, who is Forum for Democracy and Development and the only female presidential candidate, said President Banda's 'mouthpieces' had alienated him from crucial partners in development like the Soli traditional leader going by the way she had been abused.

"I think that the sentiments of her Royal Highness chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II are just a tip of the iceberg. The President is lucky because he can even get to know the position of honest leaders like chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II. There are others who are just keeping quiet and bruising inside them and wondering what became of this country," Nawakwi said.

"There are others who have completely been abused not by the head of state himself but by some of his followers such as William Banda and the likes."

She observed that it appeared that the President did not even come forward to stop his agents who had continued to abuse a lot of people.

"It's not just chieftainess Nkomeshya, it's a lot of people, the Catholic Church, the opposition leaders. A lot of people have been abused at the hands of MMD supporters and followers."

Nawakwi urged President Banda to control his sympathisers and ‘mouthpieces' to stop insulting the traditional leadership in the country.

"You cannot as a leader of a political party allow your followers to be insulting and abusing colleagues and perceived enemies just for the sake of those followers to be seen to be next to you. These are some of the difficulties the President is faced with because in the quest of trying to make MMD popular, those that are tasked with the responsibility of campaigning for the President have stepped on a lot of people's toes," said Nawakwi.

And Nawakwi has hailed described as exemplary leadership chieftainess Nkomenshya's stance not to entertain any gifts from the government and its agents.

"I mean the laws are very clear, no gift, so why is the President taking gifts to the chiefs? She's being a true patriot and a true Zambian and giving an example of what you can be as a leader, incorruptible, straightforward and she's right," she said.

"We have been told that chiefs should not involve themselves in politics and this is why we need women in leadership because they will follow the law. She's just obeying the law that chiefs should not be involved in politics. It appears it's good when the chiefs are on the side of the government. When you have a chief like chief Nalubamba on the other side, the government says these chiefs must be sorted out. The institution of chieftaincy has been diluted and it will take another government to uplift that institution."

Nawakwi said in the quest to amass political power and appear to be a popular candidate President Banda and the MMD had demeaned, diluted and made the institution of chieftaincy irrelevant to the future of the country.

She condemned MMD's electoral bribery.

"There should be no gifts because MMD by the virtue of their incumbency are giving sealed gifts in envelopes, in boxes, in whatever form, even in chitenges. You find a village has 300 bicycles, gifts to headmen, all headmen each of them has a bicycle or two that's wrong. A bicycle will not bring us development," said Nawakwi.

The Soli traditional leader, senior chieftainess Nkomeshya, refused to meet President Banda yesterday before the MMD rally in Chongwe, saying she had been unfairly denounced and her name brought into ridicule by both the government and MMD agents for merely asking for development in her chiefdom.

During her meeting with President Banda's special assistant for political affairs Dr Francis Chigunta, an MMD emissary, Zesco Limited's managing director Ernest Mupwaya, and her headmen on Friday, chieftainess Nkomeshya said she had taken great exception to the ridicule she had been subjected to by the government and its agents.

"I want to be frank, I have been always very frank, very frank and I will be with you and take the message that my Royal Highness has found it difficult for this courtesy call. What are we going to talk about when I am arrogant, I am stubborn?'' asked chieftainess Nkomeshya.

Labels: BRIBERY, CHIEFTIANESS NKOMESHYA, EDITH NAWAKWI, MMD

posted by MrK @ 4:18 PM