UPND influencing SP chiefs on realignment - Mwanachingwala

UPND influencing SP chiefs on realignment - Mwanachingwala
By Henry Chibulu in Mazabuka and Mwala Kalaluka in Lusaka
Sun 19 Feb. 2012, 12:01 CAT

THE resolutions of some Southern Province chiefs against President Michael Sata's realignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi districts have been politically engineered by the UPND, says chief Mwanachingwala of Mazabuka.

But Southern Province Royal Foundation vice-chairperson chief Chikanta of Kalomo says the whole province knows that chief Mwanachingwala just wants to attract some attention from State House.

Chief Mwanachingwala said the resolutions by some chiefs in the province who met in Choma to register their unhappiness over the re-alignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi districts by President Sata should be declared null and void.

He said the government should not take the resolutions seriously because they did not reflect the views of the chiefs but of the UPND leadership.

Chief Mwanachingwala said traditional rulers who attended the meeting did not know the agenda and were forced to travel to Choma by the opposition UPND which also paid them allowances.

The traditional ruler said the government should call for an Indaba and explain to chiefs the benefits of re-aligning the districts as most of them were ignorant on the matter, adding that the opposition is taking advantage of the government's failure to allow dialogue on the matter.

Chief Mwanachingwala said the Choma meeting was political and did not represent the aspirations of the traditional rulers and their subjects but was meant to drive the hidden agenda of the UPND.

"What do you expect from such a meeting which was stage managed? These chiefs did not think on their own but were being pushed by the UPND to issue such statements. Already as I am talking to you, Mazabuka Central member of parliament, Garry Nkombo, called to fix an appointment to come to the palace and discuss the issue regarding the re-alignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi districts to Lusaka and Central provinces," chief Mwanachingwala said.

He said chiefs in the province should not allow themselves to be used by the UPND to fight the government without exhausting dialogue.

Chief Mwanachingwala said chiefs in the province were eager to meet President Sata to discuss the matter and help them understand the benefits of re-aligning the districts.

The traditional ruler has since advised his colleagues to take advantage of the newly established Ministry of Chiefs Affairs to express their grievances instead of being misled by the opposition to fight the government.

And chief Mwanachingwala has advised the UPND leadership to stop issuing statements without consulting him.

He said he is disappointed with the UPND for misinforming the nation that he attended a meeting for chiefs in Choma when he did not.

Chief Mwanachingwala said he was aware that the UPND want to create friction between him and the government by using his name but said he will not allow the UPND to destroy his good image before the government.

But chief Chikanta said in an interview from Monze yesterday that assertions by chief Mwanachingwala that the opposition UPND was instigating traditional leaders in the province to oppose the government's realignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi were not correct.

"Not correct, you know chief Mwanachingwala. I think the whole country knows and the whole Southern Province knows what he is. Now he is looking for entry into State House. He is just trying to align himself to State House now so that State House could pay attention to him," chief Chikanta said.

"So that he starts going to State House the way he was doing it with these other presidents. He wants to go into State House. So he is just trying to attract attention from State House."

He said during the traditional leaders' Kozo Lodge convocation in Choma to discuss the realignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi districts to Lusaka and Central provinces respectively, chief Mwanachingwala said he would be part of the resolutions from the meeting.

"When we were at Choma we received information from him that whatever we decide there he is actually for it. But we can't be surprised, we know what he is," chief Chikanta said.

"No, how can we be paid? ZNBC was there. They were taking the whole procession when we were there and when we were reading, they were there and we immediately dispersed after that."

He said people knew what chief Mwanachingwala was looking for by issuing the said assertions.

"Yes, I suppose we will have another meeting. So that we can maybe bring in more chiefs. I suppose probably even the government will come in so that we sit with government. I don't know what will happen next week," chief Chikanta said.

"But we are very hopeful that the government will respond by trying to sit down with us. You know, we are not fighting. We are not fighting President Sata, we are just indicating when he is doing wrong we must tell him this is wrong."

He said issues of land were very sensitive and that any person doing what the government was doing would know that they are supposed to talk to the chiefs.

"To say this is the intention, this is what we want to do. After you agree, that is when the President goes to announce so that when the President announces, it is the chiefs that are expected to explain to the people or any other interested person why the government is doing this," said chief Chikanta.

"Not the way it has been done. So we are not really fighting. We don't want President Sata to be cheated the way other presidents were being cheated. When things go wrong then people are saying, 'no Mr President everything is okay', we don't want that. When there is something wrong it is better to point it out."

Meanwhile, chief Mwanachingwala has invited Southern Province minister, Miles Sampa, to his palace.

Chief Mwanachingwala said Sampa was free to work in the province, adding that no one has the right to order for his removal except the appointing authority.