Govt to introduce traditional councils

Govt to introduce traditional councils
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Mon 17 Oct. 2011, 12:20 CAT

CHIEFS and traditional affairs minister Inonge Wina says the PF government will introduce traditional councils to ensure a link in the public service governance system.

Speaking during Tuwimba traditional ceremony of the Nsenga people at senior chief Kalindawalo Mndikula's Simbo Palace in Petauke on Saturday, Wina said the introduction of village, district and provincial chiefs' councils would also ensure the active involvement of traditional authorities in the public governance system.

"The PF government is, therefore, committed to establishing a system of local government which will promote local economic development, improved delivery of essential infrastructure and services through local self government," said Wina.

And Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people, who also attended the Tuwimba, urged Easterners to learn to move with change and not to always remain behind.

"Let's accept facts, things happen and it happened. Whatever happened cannot change, it happened. We Easterners should not always remain behind like ticks. All the Bembas have run away from this (MMD); they left it to us, so we should also move out of this," he said.

Mpezeni said he foresaw change of government a long time ago.

He urged the PF to embrace the people that were joining the party now.

"Let the people join PF, Sata's wish is to embrace everybody, so people should not be given conditions when joining PF like, not after three years. Mr (Sebastian) Saize Zulu (justice minister), Mr Mbuzi Solomon (Eastern Province minister), Panji Kaunda (defence deputy minister). Words cannot go beyond this," Mpezeni said.

And chief Kalindawalo appealed to the government to look into marketing of agricultural produce and development in the are including chieftaincy wrangles in the Nsengaland resulting from political interference.

The ceremony was also attended by chief Nyalugwe of Nyimba, chief Maguya of Chipata and three Mozambican chiefs.