By Ben Mbangu in Zimba
Fri 11 Oct. 2013, 14:00 CAT
FIFTY headmen from chief Sipatunyana's area in Zimba have called for the immediate transfer of police officers serving in the district to other places, citing corruption and lack of commitment towards work.
The traditional leaders said they could no longer bear the pain of having police officers in their area whose interest was for only a few individuals at the expense of the poor majority in the district.
They said the officers had overstayed in the area, hence the high possibility of them being compromised.
Speaking on behalf of other headmen during a meeting called by Zimba district commissioner Golden Nyambe held at council chamber, headman Matanyane explained that people in the area were in dire need of security for their livestock.
Headman Matanyane pointed out that there was rampant cattle rustling in the area and the police had done nothing to arrest the situation despite numerous calls from the general public to have the issue addressed in order to safeguard livestock in the district.
The traditional leaders further accused the police of having promoted cattle theft in the area through their dubious ways of handling matters pertaining to issues of animals in the area.
Headman Matanyane also appealed to the government to consider giving them incentives to motivate them for the important work they do in helping govern people in rural areas.
"We also need bicycles so that we can move around in all corners of our villages. We are very sure that the PF government is a listening government and is going to look into our plight as headmen," he said.
The headmen further proposed that government also consider giving them free farming inputs as a way of empowering them for they spend a lot of their time attending to village matters instead of working for their families.
And responding to the headmen's cries, Nyambe assured them that the government would strive to ensure that it meets people's expectation regardless of the area they come from.
Nyambe said he would ensure that the issue of police officers is addressed quickly in order to bring sanity and confidence for the men and women in uniform in the district.
He said the government decided to remove maize and fuel subsidies so as to attend to numerous challenges people were facing such as inadequacy of schools, clinics and road infrastructure.
Nyambe further urged the headmen to be patient with the government and appealed for support in order for development to take place.
He said the government had employed a good number of people since it came into power in 2011 because it wanted to increase access to services.
"Government's plan is to also ensure it promotes livestock in order for people in rural areas to be able to export beef to other countries, so dip tanks and dams will be constructed so that your animals can be free from diseases. People should not cheat you that government is not doing anything to change your lives," explained Nyambe.
He urged headmen to explain to their people the achievements the government had scored so far, especially that he had told them the interventions that had been put in place in order to change their lives.
Nyambe also appealed to the headmen to help stop early marriages in their villages so as to enable children to complete their education.
"Don't rush for lobola; if you educate your children they will keep you well in future and you should also stop gender-based violence," said Nyambe.
Labels: CHIEFS, HEADMEN, POLICE
posted by MrK @ 4:17 PM
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