Two civil society organizations have maintained that chiefs should not be actively involved in politics for the sake of national unity.
The Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) and the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) says chiefs preside over a huge population of people in the country hence the need for them to remain neutral politically.
Reacting to Senior Chief Mukuni of the Toka-Leya people of Southern Province’s call for the National Constitution Conference (NCC) to create a mechanism that would allow at least 10 chiefs to be appointed to parliament without undergoing an election, SACCORD Information Officer Michelo Mwango said the idea was not welcome.
Ms Mwango told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that chiefs ought to remain in the advisory role to politicians and desist from having political ambitions.
She said chiefs’ participation in politics would compromise their stand on many issues taking place in the country.
She said chiefs should maintain their status quo and desist from engaging in politics and ensure they remain outside the political bracket.
Ms Mwango said there are various other avenues chiefs can use in order to effectively participate in national development without becoming parliamentarians.
And FODEP Information Officer MacDonald Chipenzi told ZANIS in an interview that chiefs should not engage in politics because they preside over a huge number of people in the country.
Mr Chipenzi said there are various platforms available for chiefs to articulate and air their views on issues in the country other than actively engaging themselves in politics.
He said chiefs have a duty to remain neutral in political matters and that the appointment of chiefs to parliament would mean that they become partisan as they may at times be asked to take a vote on some controversial matter.
He urged the chiefs to use the existing structures available to effectively represent the people instead of insisting on been political.
Mr Chipenzi said the code of ethics categorically state that chiefs should be non partisan and remain neutral so that they do not influence their people’s choice of a leader.
The FODEP Information Officer further warned that chiefs risk losing their respect and dignity by getting into politics as the politics currently prevailing in the nation were those of insults.
ZANIS
As long as poverty persists, no need to bring this topic up.
But this ka Mukuni guy has gotten drunk with power.What kind of democracy are we going to be practising if we allow ten villagers to Parliament without undergoing an election.Already the president nominates 8
The chief has a option to give up his throne if he wants to partocipate in politics just like civil servants do!
The question is why should they be out of politics if they offer themselves… If they offer thenselves then it means they are not supposed to hide under the cover of being a chief and they should be treated as politicians. Maybe they should renounce there positions (even though they will claim that chiefs are born and not made) So let them come to the fore of politics if they want. They should not be exluded by those who are scared of them. I know of Chiefs that have contributed. How would these same NGOs feel if government passed a law that forbids them from participating in the political affairs of the country?
The suggestion by Chief Mukuni is ok. This will make their contribution to our politics positive. Chiefs are also political animals who should not be denied the right to particiapte in public affairs. In this modern age we should not just confine them to House of Chiefs. By nature of their positions presiding over many pipo, they are politicians. Some chiefs are well informed on many issues than than the likes of SACCORD and FODEP. The NGO’s are supposed to be advocating the introduction of local languages in parliament and our judicial system including school curriculum. We cant just be using English as official language, we deny out there those who can articulate public issues better in local languages than in English. Let us be proud of ourselves. Chiefs should be allowed to politik.
Days are long gone when some Chiefs were regarded as uneducated etc. Today we have some chiefs who are ex officers, teachers, econmists, engineers etc. Let us move with time. If we are serious in moving forward let NCC reserve say 10 positions for chiefs to be elected among themslves per province and 1 seat for whoever is Chairing the House of Chiefs. Governance whatever form it takes is dealing with pipo and chiefs deal with pipo. Yes they have alot of influence but once elected or nominated to parliament they can take leave and handover to a caretaker or completely relinguish the throne depending on which modelity will be acceptable to the stakeholders. Chief Mukuni is not drunk with power per see but is just exercising his rights as enshrined in the Bill of Rights. Chiefs move on