President Rupiah Banda has directed the Ministry of Finance to release funds meant to construct a cultural and tourism village in Mansa of Luapula Province
President Banda issued the directive Saturday in a speech read for him by Luapula Province Minister Boniface Kawimbe during the Kwanga ceremony of the N’gumbo people of Lubwe area in Samfya district.
ZANIS reports that the President said Government has tasked the department of cultural affairs under the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services to construct a cultural village at the Provincial headquarters Mansa.
He said construction of the cultural centre, which would eventually be replicated in other districts, would facilitate the preservation of traditions, norms and cultural values in Luapula.
Once constructed, the centre would provide space for training, production of cultural products and services, including handicrafts, artefacts, visual arts, music and dance among others.
President Banda said he wants to see the construction of the cultural and tourism centre commence before the rainy season and directed the ministry of finance to release the funds.
“I request the Ministry of Finance to release funds for the cultural and tourism infrastructure for Luapula Province so that the project can commence before the onset of the rainy season,” President Banda.
And President Banda said Government recognises the role culture plays in national development, saying it is imperative for all people in Zambia to work together to preserve the country’s cultural heritage.
He said it was through culture that Zambia as a country was able to discern values and make meaningful choices.
He said all Zambians must work together to preserve the country’s cultural heritage as culture was a treasure, a source of strength and unity.
The President said Government had put in place a deliberate policy of providing support to traditional ceremonies, as a way of augmenting the effort of traditional rulers in promoting the country’s tradition and culture.
He said traditional events like Kwanga were also important as they created an opportunity for young people to learn and appreciate true values of culture.
President Banda also announced that the number of beneficiary farmers under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) had been increased by 35 percent in Luapula Province.
President Banda said Luapula Province would have 36,440 farmers benefiting from the FISP for 2010-2011 farming season, 35 percent increase from the 27,000 beneficiary farmers in the 2009-2010 season.
He said Government worked tirelessly in mobilising resources for the FISP hence, the increase in the number of beneficiaries from the inputs programme.
He also commended the people of Samfya for being among other farmers in Luapula who contributed to this year’s bumper harvest.
He told senior chief Mwewa and several other traditional rulers of the Ngoma clan that it was gratifying that his working Government had ensured Luapula province had started receiving inputs for 2010-2011 farming as early as in April this year.
The Kwanga ceremony is celebrated among five chiefs of the Ng’umbo people in Samfya to pay homage to their ancestors through music, dance and rituals.
It is also a thanks giving ceremony to God for guiding their fore bearers and settling them in a land endowed with abundant natural resources that include water, fish resources and agricultural land.
This year’s Kwanga ceremony was special as it was also attended by senior chief Chisamamba of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who is part of the family clan to which the Ng’umbo chiefs trace their origins.
Meanwhile, President Banda has said Samfya is one district experiencing a lot of succession disputes resulting into three chiefdoms staying without a chief for a long time.
The President said Mulakwa, Kasomabangweulu and Mbulu are the three chiefdoms that have now stayed three to four years without a chief due to succession wrangles.
He said Government was not interested in seeing chiefs dragging each other to courts of law over succession disputes.
He appealed to the House of Chiefs to take a pivotal role in ensuring that succession disputes become the thing of the past so that harmony could be realised in all chiefdoms.
President Banda said it was not acceptable to continue seeing situations where chiefdoms have no chiefs for a long time.
He said relevant offices must deal with the problem especially that surrounding the Mulakwa chieftaincy as the issue of succession dispute was not even before the court of law.
“Samfya district is one district which is experiencing a lot of succession disputes resulting in three chiefdoms without a chief. These chiefdoms include Mulakwa, Kasomabangweulu and Mbulu. I would like therefore to appeal to relevant offices to work on these issues especially Mulakwa chiefdom because the issue is not even in court,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Kwanga Organising Chairman Eustace Bobo thanked Government for many development projects undertaken in Samfya district particularly and Luapula Province as a whole.
Mr Bobo said the Kwanga ceremony organising committee was indebted to the Government for rehabilitating and constructing new education infrastructure, and also for the education programmes aimed at improving the girl-child education.
He also thanked Government for the rehabilitation and resurfacing of Tuta road which he said was going to improve the transportation of people and goods, while reducing the cost of maintenance on vehicles.
Mr Bobo also said that the Ng’umbo people were happy with the speedy recognition of their three new chiefs, who include senior chief Mwewa, chieftainess Mulongwe and chief Mwansakombe.
However, he expressed sadness over the continued succession wrangles that have resulted into litigations, pledging that the Ng’umbo royal establishment would in future work with Government to forestall such disputes.
ZANIS
