It’s dangerous to resist demands for change, says chief Ndake
By Christopher Miti in Nyimba
Fri 24 June 2011, 03:10 CAT
A TRADITIONAL leader in Eastern Province says it is very dangerous to resist popular demand for change. Chief Ndake of the Nsenga people in Nyimba made the remarks when People’s Pact Forum acting national chairperson Colonel Panji Kaunda paid a courtesy call on him at Sikwenda village.
Chief Ndake said former president Dr Kenneth Kaunda made a very wise decision in 1991 when he paved way for political change.
“If we had not allowed change to take place, there was going to be chaos in the country because people were going to think that their ideas have been undemocratically crushed by a dictator.
So there it is, if you can manage, you will bring change but we as chiefs are still in the same shoe or plane with the ruling party, the MMD,” chief Ndake said.
He said UNIP was broken by its opponents, the MMD, in 1991 because they all worked together.
He allowed Col Panji to proceed with his meetings in his chiefdom, saying it was up to the people to choose.
“In fact, nature has it that there is nothing that is constant. Everything is static, everything is in a constant state of motion, constant state of development. Each time, each era is superior than the former.
If people insist on stagnation, then we are saying we don’t want the superior form of development or existence. So sometimes it is very dangerous to resist popular demands for change,” chief Ndake said.
He said in his view, nobody would dispute Col Panji’s observation on the road to Mwape, Luembe and many others.
“Now if we are going to talk about mobile hospitals, what is the aim of introducing mobile hospitals?
I believe the aim as you have stated is to let the people in the rural areas far from the existing hospitals along Great East Road to access the health services so that they can have a chance to be seen by mobile doctors.
Now it becomes meaningless for the introduction of this facility if the roads are not there. It’s logical for the planners to put up several rural health centres in those places than introducing something that will not reach the targeted population,” chief Ndake said.
Chief Ndake, a former governor and Nyimba member of parliament, said Col Panji’s message was very clear.
And Col Panji said he had been to rural areas and the poverty levels there were unprecedented.
“Yes, our friends give examples of Shoprite, mansions, they look at traffic jams they see in Lusaka to be development but there is nothing in rural areas.
I hope the people who bought those mobile hospitals will tomorrow take them to chieftainess Mwape, thereafter they take them to Luembe and chief Nyalugwe and come back,” Col Panji said.
“If they can do that, I will praise them and say it is a good idea but not what I have seen. They will never do that.”
He said the whole idea of the mobile hospitals was not to take them to Nyimba hospital but the actual rural areas.
Col Panji said the purpose of purchasing mobile hospitals deprived the people in rural areas of the money, which should have been used to build clinics.
“This is one of the reasons that we tell people why we should change government and change must come with the meaning of change.
In your government UNIP we had a government that cared for Zambian people that’s why you gave us a member of central committee in-charge of rural areas, a minister in-charge of rural development because they knew that the majority of Zambians live in rural areas,” he said.
Col Panji said chiefs should not follow politicians but speak on behalf of their people.
“Can Rupiah Banda’s son go to Chinambi School in Luembe area? Can Rupiah Banda’s wife give birth in Nyimba Hospital? If they say yes we shall praise them. If they say no something is missing.
We want institutions in this country where they leaders will go to and other people will go to. A lot of Zambians have been denied the stake of our independence for 47 years,” said Col Panji.
Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, CHIEF NDAKE, EASTERN PROVINCE, MMD, PANJI KAUNDA
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‘Voters have lost confidence’
By Agness Changala
Mon 15 Nov. 2010, 03:59 CAT
SENIOR chief Mwamba has attributed the apathy that has characterised the voter registration exercise to loss of confidence in the country’s political system. Chief Mwamba of the Bemba of Northern Province said people were tired of being told lies by politicians.
He said politicians were fond of making promises to the electorate but did not fulfil them. Chief Mwamba said people were usually enthusiastic about participating in politics once given hope by politicians.
“Right now, it’s only a few people registering as voters, senior citizens like me are no longer interested,” chief Mwamba said in an interview.
Chief Mwamba said politicians must be honest if they wanted to change people’s perception of politics in the country.
He said politicians must begin to fulfil the promises they make to people during election campaigns.
Chief Mwamba said the electorate will be motivated to participate in elections once politicians fulfil their duty.
And chief Ndake of Eastern Province said traditional leaders in his chiefdom were encouraging people to register as voters.
He said those who had relatives without National Registration Cards (NRCs) were asked to assist acquire them and register as voters.
Chief Ndake said there were frustrations among orphans who did not have guardians because they were not allowed to get NRCs.
Chief Ndake appealed to officers issuing NRCs to consider such people upon presentation of relevant documents. Chief Chibale of Central Province said the team, which was carrying out the mobile registration of NRCs only visited his area once and some people did not manage to get their cards.
However, he said the voter registration exercise was going on well. Chief Chibale urged people to register as voters and elect leaders of their choice.
Labels: CHIEF NDAKE, POLITICS, SR CHIEF MWAMBA KANYANTA MANGA II
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Politicians manipulate chiefs, says Ndake
Written by Christopher Miti in Chipata
Thursday, January 01, 2009 7:54:16 AM
CHIEF Ndake of the Nsenga people in Nyimba district yesterday said most chiefs in Eastern Province have been manipulated by politicians instead of being educated on good governance.
Speaking during the Eastern Province chiefs’ conference sponsored by Caritas Zambia in Chipata, Chief Ndake said chiefs were supposed to be sensitised so that they become amicable players in good governance.
“I wish to state that I find it hard to say that even though government facilitates donor funding to non-governmental organisations here in our country, it has lamentably directly and effectively failed to assemble chiefs for the purpose of training them so that they effectively and efficiently play their role in the field of good governance.
I do realise Mr Chairman that in politics, manipulation does produce desired goals; I don’t know whether it is in most cases but it would appear so. It’s sad to note that that is what a majority of political leaders have managed to do to chiefs here in the Eastern Province, manipulation instead of sensitisation, educating us so that we become effective amicable players in the field of governance,” said Chief Ndake.
And Eastern Province royal foundation chairperson senior chief Nzamane who opened the meeting called for unity among the people of the province.
He also took time to remind the chiefs of what was resolved during their 2005 conference that was held at Luangwa House.
Senior chief Nzamane said God ordained all nature of leadership, therefore chiefs, government leaders and Christians must all protect and provide for the communities fairly and free from corruption.
And senior chief Nzamane urged chiefs in the country to involve the church and the government in resolving their problems.
He said it had been realised that chiefs were leaving out the church and the government in resolving their problems.
“In trying to resolve our problems that we face, we have always left out the church and this is the reason why we have difficulties in getting around the problems that we are faced with. I think from now on, we should invite the church when we are facing problems, let’s invite government, we are partners in development,” said senior chief Nzamane.
He observed that the majority of the population was in the rural areas where government departments were lacking.
And Bishop George Lungu, who is also Zambia Episcopal Conference president, said the church loves chiefs who love their people.
“We love the chiefs who love their people who ensure that their people are comfortable with them, we also appreciate the fact that some of you are God-fearing people in your own churches. But I’m also aware that there are some of our chiefs, I’m sorry to say this, they seem to be blocking development. They see the church as anti traditional leader, they see the church as people coming in to disturb the peace of the people and so forth. I feel sorry about that because we always come to you in trying to help you look after your own people,” said Bishop Lungu.
Labels: CHIEF NDAKE, CHIEF NZAMANE, CHIEFS, GOVERNANCE
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Chief Ndake breaking the myth
By Brighton Phiri
Sunday March 16, 2008 [03:00]
THE history of the Nsenga speaking people is incomplete without mentioning chief Ndake of Nyimba district. More interesting though is chief Ndake’s ascendancy to power. Actually the selection came as a surprise, at least to a point where he wanted to run away. It all started when chief Ndake (born Alick Maponda) heard about his uncle’s death.
He left for Nyimba so that he could be present at his uncle’s burial. Unfortunately at the time, transport was a big problem and he arrived a day after the burial.
“That was 15th February when he died and around 1st March, that was the time to finalise the mourning rituals. On that day, the people demanded that the name of the successor be mentioned. I became a bit suspicious because some of my drunken cousins openly said we want the same Alick, meaning me.
I never believed that it would happen,” chief Ndake says. “On that day, I was not even consulted or regarded as a member of the family. Nobody whispered to me. I never thought I could be picked because both my father and mother were telling me that none of their children was going to be a chief. So I was confident that since my mother and father were there, nothing would happen.”
So the rituals started off with people among them the royal family members gathering at the palace.
A tradition cousin of the Lungu clan (Ndake royal family’s clan) took control of the proceedings. He made a few announcements before dropping the bombshell.
The master of ceremonies explained how the royal family’s senior uncle (Tumvi) and his royal sisters (Mbumba) conducted the selection process before turning his head towards where chief Ndake was seated.
“The master of ceremonies went round telling the people that we have decided…and he went on and on before turning towards where I was seated… he pronounced my name…Alick Maponda, the son of Mr. Maponda. You all know him and he has only one wife,” says chief Ndake. “I did not know what followed because I broke down into tears before they rushed me into a hut. I considered all those saying kind words about me before as terrible enemies. I looked at my mother and uttered one word while crying. I asked my mother why she allowed me to be selected as chief when she knew that I had very young children.”
The Nsenga people observe matrilineal descent. Chiefs are chosen from particular lineages within clans who rule designated lands, but exogamy between clans has created a situation where most clans are represented in each chiefdom. Although all pre-colonial Nsenga chiefs were equals, the British named senior chiefs in order to centralise authority and administration. The three senior Nsenga chiefs were namely; Kalindawalo (Petauke), Lwembe (Nyimba) and Mbuluma (Luangwa).
Upon his arrival from Livingstone where he used to live, it was agony again for chief Ndake as he was confronted with questions regarding the selection of a new chief.
The first to confront him was his wife Ruth, who upon opening the door led him to the bedroom before asking him to disclose the name of a new chief.
“When I entered my bedroom, she sat next to me on our bed and looked directly into my eyes and asked how I travelled to the village. I told her that I was selected as chief before breaking down in tears…and she too broke down. Both of us broke down, but we agreed that we should not tell our children,” he said.
Another trial for chief Ndake was at his office, where he had difficulties breaking the news before his principal. Before he left for the funeral, the principal advised him to guard himself against being selected as chief.
“So when I reported back for work, I wept upon being asked how I travelled. But later I pleaded with the principal not to tell anybody. It took over three months for the children to know as we were preparing them for the village life. Unfortunately, some people who were on transit to Zimbabwe used to publicly declare that chief Ndake was in Livingstone.
So somebody came to inquire about the presence of chief Ndake at the college. We realised that the news had been broken and so we decided to tell our children because it was not good for them to get it from the other people.
So we chose an evening dinner to announce our pending transfer to the village. When I broke the news, majority of them stood out of their chairs crying, apart from one of them who jumped high in celebrations.”
But before breaking the news, chief Ndake was scheming on how he could avoid becoming a chief. He attempted to run away to Swaziland under the pretext of seeking employment because at that time Zambian teachers were on high demand.
“So I told my wife that I wanted to resign and leave for Swaziland, but she discouraged me from conceiving those ideas. She reminded me that one day I will grow old and find myself back at the village and that it will be embarrassing for the people to begin questioning me about my going back to the village late. So since my wife said it and since she was one of those that opposed it earlier, I felt comforted,” says chief Ndake.
Since chief Ndake had not reached retirement age and he did not want to lose his retirement, he asked the Ministry of Education to transfer him to an education institution near Nyimba district. And the government was fair enough and transferred him to Nyimba Secondary School as deputy head master.
Later after clocking 25 years in service, people asked chief Ndake to move from Nyosali where he settled to Lwezi, chief Ndake’s headquarters.
The people further asked chief Ndake to retire so that he could concentrate on traditional matters.
“So I retired on 31 January, 1990. I started performing as a full time traditional leader,” he says.
An educationist turned chief Ndake in 1986, Alick Maponda has spoken on issues of national interest, but it is his attempt to discard some bad Nsenga cultural beliefs that has yielded controversy.
“Our people’s pace to catch up with the fast changing world is very slow due to lack of proper education,” says chief Ndake.
“As a result they are easily corrupted by bad cultural beliefs such as superstition that leads them to think that problems like illness, poverty or any other fortune that befalls them is caused by man. So when they want to find out about the causes, they resort to witch-hunting by consulting the witchdoctors. And these witchdoctors are not sincere with the people. Even if someone is infected with HIV, they will not advise accordingly.”
In his quest for a just society, chief Ndake has banned the traditional healers from identifying the suspected persons linked to causes of illness. But he has instead asked the traditional healers to assist their patients with medicine only.
“I have since lost some favour among the people over this matter because they think that a chief cannot live without taboos or practising witchcraft. So they are saying chief Ndake is against the diviners because he fears to be exposed. So those are some of the challenges I am facing as a chief.”
Despite the accusations, chief Ndake has remained resolute to conquer illiteracy and poverty among his subjects.
In 1997, chief Ndake was instrumental in the establishment of the Nsenga Cultural Institute whose objectives were to maintain and promote Nsenga traditions and culture.
Under the institute, chief Ndake guides his subjects towards assimilating issues or actions that bring about positive results elsewhere in the world so that they are kept abreast with the latest global development.
“In June this year we have designed a workshop, which will last for two months, for about 260 school-going girls to try and discourage them getting hooked to early marriages. Our young girls get pregnancies much earlier at the expense of their education.
That is one of the challenges,” chief Ndake says. “There has been some calls asking me to punish the parents, but I think before were punish we must educate them.
The girls too, must get educated. Drunkenness has taken toll on some of our young men, leaving them unproductive because they spend most of their time drinking. Worst still, some of them completed Grade 12 with good results, but they end up drinking Kachasu, having unstable marriages, insufficient food and unable to think properly.
All they think about is where to find the beer or where to steal to raise money to buy beer. These are some of the vices I am fighting against.”
Chief Ndake was born on March 14, 1945 at Ndake village in Nyimba district.
He enrolled for his Sub A, currently referred to as Grade One class, in 1954 at Kalindawalo school in Petauke, where he went up to Standard Two.
When chief Ndake’s father was transferred as treasurer clerk from Petauke to Nyimba where he took over as a court clerk, chief Ndake followed him and was admitted at Hofmile boarding school after writing his examinations.
“I was at Hofmile middle school from August 1958 to May 1960, again after writing my examination for Standard Five I qualified to go to Melwe Upper School in 1960. I was at Melwe for two years and completed Standard Six. And I was among the fortunate seven pupils to be selected to go to Katete Secondary School in August 1962…where I did my Form Two until May 1963,” says chief Ndake.
In January 1964, chief Ndake was to undergo a primary school teacher’s training at Malcolm Moffat Teachers Training College. After completing his training in 1966, chief Ndake’s first posting was to his former school Hofmile where he was later appointed assistant teacher.
“I taught at Hofmile from 1966 to 1971. I was appointed as headmaster for Hofmile Upper School and I was later transferred to Nyanje Upper School. These were mission schools run by Dutch Reformed Churches in Zambia,” says chief Ndake.
In 1974, the Ministry of Education selected chief Ndake for an in-service training course at Chalimbana, in what was then known as Zambia Primary Course for three months.
While at Chalimbana, chief Ndake pursued his private studies aimed at obtaining the O-level certificate with the Rapid Results College of London. “I struggled up to 1974. While at Chalimbana, I applied for an advanced Zambia Primary Course. After completing the course in 1975, I came back to Nyanje. I stayed just for a few months before I applied to go to UNZA to do a diploma in teacher’s education. I was accepted and I was at UNZA from 1976 to 1978,” he said.
At UNZA, chief Ndake studied science, social studies and education. After graduating he was posted to David Livingstone Teachers College.
After being promoted as lecturer grade one in 1978, chief Ndake was sent to the then President’s Citizenship College in Kabwe, where he obtained a certificate in political science.
Unfortunately, while chief Ndake was enjoying his teaching career, death struck his family and claimed the life of his uncle, the then chief Ndake.
He was made chief.
It was not all rosy for chief Ndake.
He was taking over a chiefdom that was under siege from the RENAMO across Mozambique.
Chief Ndake joined forces with the Zambia Army in sensitising the local people on security issues.
As if that was not enough, chief Ndake was faced with the challenge of responding to the winds of regime change that had engulfed Zambia.
“At the time of my retirement there were whispers and calls for regime change from the labour movement led by former president Frederick Chiluba. It was a very vocal movement, which shook Dr Kaunda as it led to some unrest, strikes by the workers and demonstrations against high prices and food shortages.
The time for a one-party system was numbered and the demand for multi-party was increasing. And he (Dr Kaunda) had to have supporters, therefore, in 1991, in March he turned Nyimba into a Boma and appointed me chief Ndake as its first governor.
So moving away from teaching and concentrating on the traditional matters, the head of state saw it fit to push me into politics in order to defend UNIP.”
“It is like forcing somebody to wear gloves to go and fight in the ring and indeed, I fought, but the fight was not violent. It was a peaceful approach to politics.
It was not dirty, yes some people might say politics is dirty, but what makes it dirty is the human mind because our first President is not dirty even as at now. He is a very dedicated man to human calls. He is very dedicated to peace and human development and that is what we learnt from him.
That is why I accepted when he chose me to stand as representative of Nyimba district and I went through with a very big margin,” says chief Ndake. “There I was, thinking that Dr Kaunda was very popular and believing that one day I was going to be a minister.
We were sure that we were going to defeat the MMD, but for sure it was like we were dreaming. We lost lamentably except a few parliamentary seats from the Eastern Province. So I went to parliament with a lot of despondency because what I thought I could contribute from the government bench was destroyed by the loss.”
Chief Ndake’s desire to stay in the National Assembly was unfortunately shattered when UNIP decided to boycott the 1996 presidential and general elections after the new constitution barred Dr Kaunda on account of his citizenship.
Chief Ndake got married to Ruth in 1966 with whom he has six children and 30 grandchildren.
Chief Ndake met his wife during his early days of teaching at Hofmile.
“My wife’s father was a grader operator camped at Nyimba site. We used to do the shopping at Nyimba and passed through their camp. And her father was a very good friend of my uncle, the late chief Ndake. When I broke the news about my plans to marry her, both my father who was a court clerk and my brother vigorously protested because they did not want me to marry someone from other provinces.
They wanted me to marry a Ngoni, with whom I could pay lobola. And so my uncle decided to approach my wife’s father Mr. Ibrahim Hussein to negotiate for my marriage. Since both of them were heavy drinkers, the negotiations did not take long. So the marriage was arranged by my uncle and I married my wife that year.”
Chief Ndake does not want to be left our on the current stand off between government and the mining companies.
“The foreign investors are being very unfair. The reason why they swarmed into Zambia to come and do whatever they are doing is due to our relaxed economic regulations.
And so they are threatening to drag our government to court simply because our government had been soft on them from the beginning. We are a developing nation. In my view we should not withdraw from our demands for a fair share of our resources.
If they don’t want why can’t they roll their mats and go rather than allowing a situation where we are not afforded the chance to benefit from our wealth,”
Chief Ndake says Zambians are malnourished economically and yet there is food.
“So for us to develop properly, there must be a tax regime that will ensure that those that are ripping from our resources are taxed heavily,” says chief Ndake.
Labels: CHIEF NDAKE, CHIEFS, EASTERN PROVINCE, PROFILE
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