THE Government has said it is seeking ways to recover money from traditional leaders who obtained car loans considering that they do not get salaries.
And Government has said the Ikubi Lya Loongo traditional ceremony of the Sala people of Mumbwa offers an opportunity to visitors and the younger generation to learn and appreciate culture.
Speaking when he officiated at this year’s Ikubi Lya Loongo traditional ceremony in Chief Shakumbila’s area in Mumbwa at the weekend, Local Government and Housing Deputy Minister Elijah Muchima said the Government was under pressure from some people to start recovering money from traditional rulers with regard to the car loans.
“We made a decision as a Government to buy vehicles for our chiefs because we realise that they need to be mobile.
“Government is carefully analysing the issue before a decision can be made. We know that some of these cars have broken down and we are alive to the fact that their royal highnesses do not have salaries,” he said.
Mr Muchima, who represented President Rupiah Banda, said the Government attached importance to culture and that it had respect for traditional leaders.
Government cherishes traditional ceremonies and would continue to encourage their continued existence.
He said the Government had put in place measures to support development in Mumbwa and Central Province as a whole to ensure that the welfare of the people was guaranteed.
“Your royal highnesses, Government’s vision is to see that infrastructure in the country is developed in order to enhance development and the general well being of our people,” Mr Muchima said.
In the health sector, the deputy minister said Government was constructing more than 29 rural health centres in the province at a cost of K6.9 billion.
“Currently, Government is working towards upgrading Kabwe School of Nursing into a school of registered nursing,” he said.
Government was also building two district hospitals in Kapiri Mposhi and Mumbwa each costing K12 billion and that works were almost complete.
“In the area of education more efforts have been directed towards improving the quality of education to all the people,” he said.
Mr Muchima said Government was rehabilitating and constructing trunk and feeder roads under the Road Development Agency.
He said the Landless-Mumbwa Road would be upgraded and that works were expected to start before the end of the year.
Chief Shakumbila appealed to the Government to work on the road network in the area.
The traditional leader through his spokesperson, Sichonda Noel appealed to the Government through FRA to buy all the maize in the area.
[Times of Zambia]
That’s so funny that they did not consider the unemplyed chiefs when giving them loans.
Where is the accountability of taxpayer funds?
Did they expect the chiefs to pay nothing for the bribes they sort?
hehe hehe hehe
Im in Australia but get a Japanese flag.
L.T does not even know where i live or blog from.
This is utter nonsense! Who made the decision in the first place,these a the issues which shud hav bn considered in the first place,b4 buyin thos second hand luxury cars which hav t b driven on thos non-existent roads.wat a waste of funds,thos monies wil neva b recovered.
These cars were not given in good faith. These types of reasoning make people wonder whether Zamunda will ever develop. The Chie, how do you accept something u know u can’t ever pay back for. Chiefs are beggers and l really wonder whether they are of any service to the current state of affairs. Cars need sustained maintenance, but these cars were driven every where with no plan for service. In no time they are down. MMD is happy because it brings up something to entice Chiefs with ” promise to repair the cars”. Excited Chiefs will in turn persuade their subjects to vote for MMD. Chief of Chiengi will be the first shouting MMD. We need to stop those who cant read from voting, they are handicapped in some capacity. Do U think a villager can decide who can develop Zambia?
….. and 3 years later …..
“Government is carefully analyzing the issue before a decision can be made. We know that all the 9 MOBILE HOSPITALS have already broken down and we are alive to the fact that THE MOBILE HOSPITALS WERE BOUGHT ON BORROWED MONEY AND WE STILL HAVE TO PAY BACK THE $53m LOAN WE TOOK”
You mean unsolicited loans? nonsense
The cheifs should be locked up for obtaining goods by false pretences. Its not that the goverment didn’t think about the issue. The cheifs said they could afford the cars. I would like to see were a more seriuos crime than Mpombos would leave the govt. they actually have to lock up the cheifs if they follow they law according to there claims of being lawful govt.\:d/
Guys.. these MMD guys are lying. They gave the chiefs cars during the elections so that the chiefs could entice their subjects to vote for MMD. They lied to Zambians that it was a loan and yet all Zambians knew that it was bribery.
Yes now recover the loans other wise you will be arrested for abuse of office. We are watching carefully.
Guys in this government are only interested in getting personal cuts from national deals without seriously considering the consequences of them deals! Headlines like this will be appearing everyday.
“Government is carefully analyzing the issue before a decision can be made. We know that all the 9 MOBILE HOSPITALS have already broken down and we are alive to the fact that THE MOBILE HOSPITALS WERE BOUGHT ON BORROWED MONEY AND WE STILL HAVE TO PAY BACK THE $53m LOAN WE TOOK”
Since dont have doctors and nurses to man hospital and clinics, who is going to man these mobile clinics? Chinese? Bring them on! Chinese girls are good in bed, ima bang bang dem all!!!
There is something with Hon EJ Inters how does the govt expect chiefs to repay the car loans.Its not the chiefs who initiated the system it was the Govt and they better write off such loans. Whats wrong with this Govt last time they spend million of dolars on the Mongu – Kalabo and there is no road and they have gone again to invite contact a loan from China for the same project what will stop mother nature from washing it away again. The Govt should perhaps come up with a viable mode of tranportation may be buildng a water way. As for the chiefs motor vehilces 2/3 have broken down coz they were no guidelines and selection was free for all regardless of type of road net works. Most places are connected to roads which are in poor state. I wonder how the mobile hospitals will work.