PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has announced that subsidies for traditional leaders will be adjusted upwards from the current K4,000.
President Lungu said when he met traditional leaders in Itezhi-Tezhi District on Saturday evening that Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda is expected to announce the new adjustment soon.
This follows a request by traditional leaders to the President to review the subsidies, which they said were not adequate.
In October last year, more than 30 traditional rulers from Central Province, during a meeting with President Lungu implored the Head of State to facilitate the upward adjustment of the subsidies to K15,000.
The traditional leaders’ request prompted President Lungu to direct the ministries of Finance and Chiefs to look into the matter.
Addressing journalists after President Lungu and six Itezhi-Tezhi traditional rulers led by Chief Shimbizyi concluded a closed-door meeting, Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda said the meeting ended on a cordial note.
“The Minister of Finance will soon be adjusting the chiefs’ subsidies, he has already agreed so the President announced to the traditional leaders, during the meeting,” he said.
President Lungu also assured the traditional rulers that the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit would continue distributing relief food to all hunger-stricken areas as there were enough supplies to cater for all affected places.
President Lungu would also ensure that Itezhi-Tezhi District benefited from the power, which would be generated from the Itezhi-Tezhi hydro power station.
The Head of State further told the traditional leaders that Government through the Ministry of General Education would look into their concern of the area having one high school only instead of more.
The Itezhi-Tezhi traditional rulers pledged their continued support of the Government of the day and appealed to President Lungu to take decisive action against political violence.
After 10 years, chiefs won’t have any power , these people must be getting their monies from their subjects, that’s why we even drink together and start insulting each other…
DTrump you are correct. infact 10 years yakula just 5 or 6 years from today.
Really sad ..he can not pay students on time yet he is eager to increase subsidies to Chiefs for political mileage..where is he getting the money from?
The one from the Euro bond, stashed in swiss accounts!
Students were paid long time before they took to the streets to stone tax payers cars. @ Jay Jay you are a real cretin. When we say govt is not broke you refuse. Just seat on the fence and watch your party lose vote in his bedroom. Pf is raping upnds wives in broad day light. Viva Pf.
..what has happened to our traditional values….??…traditional leaders are slowly turned into civil servants…very disgusting..
…indeed 2016 a crucial year of elections…the other day home affairs minister donating hammer mills, Kabwili assuring squatters to be sold plots at K50….and yet to see more of such just because its an election year….
it is a constitutional right
4,000 is too much for anybody who is not doing anything. What are they being paid for?
customery law
What are these chiefs paid for imwe bantu please. Lungu should not be this desperate for re-election. He will still lose even if he behalves like this. Please consider important things on which to spend Government money ba PF and not this political expediency. You are just increasing poverty in Zambia. 8/11 where are you please?
8/11 will come and go still Pf in power. Upnd and HH will go in oblivion. Bye bye
I would increase for other chiefs if I was Lungu not the ones from Southern Province. They do not deserve it looking at the way they voted.
Civil servants salaries are still not increased,students not yet paid what kind of foolishness z this?
Just give then the keys to the bank vault!