Maravi

Chiefs shouldn't take part in active politics - Madzimawe
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Thu 04 Apr. 2013, 14:00 CAT

FORMER House of Chiefs chairperson chief Madzimawe says chiefs should not take part in active politics because this would confuse the people they lead. And chief Madzimawe said the PF government has not reached a point where it can be condemned.

During Feel Free FM's Big Issue programme yesterday, chief Madzimawe of the Ngoni people in Chipata said taking part in active politics would be now like misdirecting the people.

"Taking active part in politics is not a good thing for a leader like me because they will confuse the people that we lead because even the respect that they might hold for us may be compromised because of politics. Taking active part in politics will be now like misdirecting our people because it will now be that only those people that agree with my political views are the ones that will be coming to my palace, but what about the others because they are all your people? So we really need to balance up as we approach certain things as regards to politics," chief Madzimawe said.

When asked to judge the performance of the PF government, chief Madzimawe said the government could best be judged by 2016.
He said like any other government, the PF government was still new in office.

"They (PF) are new in office they have been in opposition for ten years, for me I think they haven't reached a stage where we can condemn because you know their mandate is supposed to be five years and they have got the criteria of where they would want to run this government. So we will be able to look at them and judge them on their performance by 2016," chief Madzimawe said.

He said the creation of the chiefs' ministry was one of the successes of the PF government.

"We thank them (government) for this ministry. It's not that the President wanted to appease chiefs but to me, I feel this ministry is a challenge to all the chiefs in this country. What the President meant (when creating) this ministry was that it should be an engine towards rural development. We have lagged behind as rural areas and I feel with the coming of this ministry, their royal highnesses should be on their toes to see development," chief Madzimawe said.

posted by MrK @ 3:47 PM