Thursday, March 28, 2024

President Lungu calls for instilling love and discipline using culture

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President Edgar Lungu was represented by the Home Affairs Minister who is also Acting Defence Minister Hon. Stephen Kampyongo.
President Edgar Lungu was represented by the Home Affairs Minister who is also Acting Defence Minister Hon. Stephen Kampyongo.

Government says it is important to treasure the country’ cultural heritage in a dynamic and changing world where people change values and beliefs due to external influence.

President Edgar Lungu says traditional ceremonies are a thread through which culture is transferred from generation to generation.

He was speaking in Chipata at the N’cwala traditional ceremony of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province which was held under the theme: ’ Preserving our Culture through Gender Equality.’

President Lungu , who was represented by Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo at this year’s N’cwala traditional ceremony of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province said there is need to instill love for the country by teaching laws, traditions and culture of the country in order to instill discipline among citizens in the country.

“ There is need to impart the spirit of harmony and unity among people as they are vital ingredients to economic and social development, “ he said adding : “ without unity and harmony, there can be instability as development cannot take place in such an environment.”

He urged traditional leaders to encourage their subjects to uphold customs and values as well and culture and traditions to maintain their identity.

And President Lungu says it is inspiring that traditional leaders have taken steps to ensure that communities are sensitized on gender equality as some traditional practices have been a major hindrance in the fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV).

“Let us ensure that parents stop marrying off their children at a tender age but instead encourage the girl child to acquire an education. Government is concerned about the tendency of some parents who marry off their children at the expense of education,” he said.

The President noted that most traditional practices still believe that conflicts between husband and wife should remain within the confines of the matrimonial house and he for this reason urged chiefs not to relent but ensure that there is a change of mindset in their chiefdoms.

Government will continue to provide equal opportunities to girls and boys in accessing education, Mr Lungu assured.

And Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi said the N’cwala traditional ceremony provides a platform to remember and look ahead to how people can meet future challenges and remain strong.

Prince Buthelezi who was the guest of honour at this year’s Nc’wala ceremony said that the experience of attending the cultural festival is touching and that there is no better way for Zambia to showcase the spirit of its people through the symbolic ceremony.

He commended Paramount chief Mpezeni for bringing back departed spirits for the good of the people saying he is a symbol of unity, strength and wellbeing of the Ngoni people.

Prince Buthelezi noted that the holding of the N’cwala in Zambia and Wokweshwama in South Africa are symbolic acts of healing from the past saying he was honored to be part of the celebration.

The traditional leader also commended the Paramount chief for banning women from attending the ceremony with bare chests saying the move portrayed his willingness to promote the rights of women.

“These symbolic actions tell us that the Ngoni people respect gender equality and that it is important to the preservation of our cultural heritage, ” he said.

Prince Buthelezi noted that women play an important role overcoming challenges such HIV and AIDS for they have a unique ability to empathize and get things done.

Meanwhile, Eastern Province Minister, Makebi Zulu, commended Paramount chief Mpezeni for making frantic efforts to promoting the rights and welfare of women in the region.

Mr Zulu noted that government is grateful that chief Mpezeni has been making helping address the social ills that affect women and impede them from leading successful lives.

And Paramount Chief Mpezeni stated that that the presence of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi at this year’s N’cwala traditional ceremony will strengthen the historic relations between the Zulu’s of Kwazaula Natal in South Africa and the Ngoni people.

He said in a speech read for him by N’cwala organizing committee chairperson Mkwinda Sakala that the Ngoni people who trace their origins from the Nguni and the Zulu people South Africa have a strong relationship with the Zulu’s as both tribes were led by Shaka Zulu.

Paramount chief Mpezeni noted that tradition has been cited for the widening gender disparities between men and women saying there is need to empower women but also ensure that men are not left behind.

And Paramount chief Mpezeni has commended Government for supporting the developmental needs of the people in Eastern Province.

24 COMMENTS

    • Traditional ceremonies in southern province are graced by their tribal leader of the upnd. Thats why they lack a national character. Tongas if not careful will lose their culture because of that ONE.

    • Sorrowful atmosphere in Zambia.
      People including Ba Edgar, not even RB attended the Mpezeni’s Ncwala thing.
      Imagine Buthelezi be entertained by guys from Katondo street. Really sad.

    • Nostra, I cant wait for the insults Nipnak will shower you with. Kikiki He showered me two days ago with any provocation. lol He must be some one child that has learnt about computers and social media. Any enjoy am sipping out here

    • Bravo President Lungu for not attending the N’cwala per your promise. If you do so in future, attend as a private citizen, not President of the Republic of Zambia, to avoid the Kuomboka mess of yesteryear.
      In fact, in future don’t even send ministers. Let Mayors and District Commissioners represent Local and Central Government. For now, all I can say, well done!

    • #1.2 Nostradamus

      Buthelezi is tainted and still dripping blood of thousands of black South Africans his Zulu militia murdered at the behest of the boers to delay South African freedom….those of us old enough remember …..he even wanted the day of freedom delayed but mandela warned him , he will be crushed….

    • Looks like there was a lot of chauvinistic nonsense spoken at this ceremony. Banning women attending the ceremony barebreasted is promoting women’s rights? What illogic! Were the women being forced to attend barebreasted? No! It was their choice and their culture so who are men like Mpezeni to set the rules for women? Buthelezi himself presides over the Reed dance where young women are barebreasted and doesn’t lament that he is not promoting Zulu women’s rights. He comes to Zambia and he speaks another language?

    • Hypocritical statement from heartless politicians. Last week they were busy maiming citizens for expressing divergent democratic views to theirs and today they stand on the podium and preach love

  1. Look who is talking about love – but refusing to dialogue with his political opponents. Oops, whom he calls enemies!

    Learn to walk the talk baba; talk alone is cheap.

  2. Lead by example you thief and useless drunk, just don’t talk sh!t you can’t handle in your ka small brain…… As useless as they come with this loser

  3. Mushota your lungu is too much of a thief, surpassing his mentor RB. How can 6 boreholes cost 9million, no wonder many projects have stalled. JICA grant is for 200 boreholes which is no possible if 6 cost 9million

    • Get them some quotations from the so many water dilling companies, who gave them that 9 million kwacha quotation for 6 boleholes, stop them before we see them driving the now famous vehicle among the pro poor pf big fish cadres the RANGE ROVERS.

    • So are they going to sink boreholes and leave?? Who is going to provide storage tanks, treatment points, the pipes to take the water to the houses??? You must use your head sometimes to reason before you believe all the cr@p on those st.up.1d gutter journalism sites you read….

  4. How did they forget to speak zulu ? It’s not like they came to the eastern parts of Zambia millions of years ago, its only about 100 and something years ago, what went wrong? It was sad to hear one lady begging butelezhi to send Nguni teachers to come and teach ngonis how to speak zulu. The makololo came to western part of Zambia almost at the same time as the NGO is but the Sotho dialect among lozis is still intact. I thought preserving ones language is part of culture.

    • They forgot Zulu deliberately why would they even want to learn it now? Don’t forget they had fled Shaka’s ruthlessness so It was their strategy to evade any pursuers from Shaka.
      The Ngoni would adopt the language of whoever they conquered so that Shaka would not be able to track them. That is why there is no Ngoni language in Zambia. The Ngoni speak Nsenga Tumbuka Chewa

  5. Oval head. Stop your hatred against the Tonga people. The ceremony was in eastern, how come you are bringing in Tsongas in the pic. Hakainde is not Tonga and Tonga is not hakainde. So stop your stupid hatred. Who told you that Tsongas lack a national character. Munyelo wako

  6. Represented by kapoyongo …….we hope this is the trend to come , instead of jumping into his jet for any excuse of any gathering that can be attended by a Zambian minister of ambassador, lungu is gone….and he when he goes he does not do same day events, minimum stays are 4 days.

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