The government has said that its move to dissolve of the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs is not meant to demean the institution of chieftaincy in the country.
Luapula Province Minister Derrick Chilundika explains that the move is meant to empower districts through the decentralisation program which he says will allow for more resources to be allocated to councils in districts where chiefs are also part of.
“Your Royal Highness, the new dawn government has committed itself to actualize the decentralisation program and through the decentralisation program more resources will be channeled to councils in districts, this will benefit even chiefs who belong to these councils,” Mr Chilundika said.
The Minister said this when he called on Senior Puta of Bwile the People of Chienge District today.
This follows assertions by sections of society alleging that the dissolution of the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs is aimed at belittling the welfare of Chiefdoms in the country.
And Senior Chief Puta of the Bwile speaking people of Chienge District has described the now dissolved Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs as a mess.
The Senior Chief says he supports the decision to dissolve the Ministry and the taking of the department of chiefs to the Ministry of Local Government where chiefs belong.
The chief says under the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Afairs, chiefs did not benefit and that government was right in dissolving the Ministry.
“Minister, the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Afairs was a mess, chiefs did not benefit anything, the people that benefited are those who are not supposed to benefit, we were better off when we were at local Government in the MMD government,” he said.
President Hichilema announced recently that his administration dissolved the ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs to become a department under the Ministry of Local government and rural development whose minister is Garry Nkombo.
Meanwhile, five Chiefs from Muchinga Province have been elected as members of the House of Chiefs. The five traditional leaders elected at a gathering at Fresh Air Conference Room in Mpika are attended by 22 chiefs among whom were elected as executive members of Muchinga Province Council of Chiefs.
Those elected include Chief Kabinga of Kanchibiya , Chief Chikwanda of Mpika , Chief Lundu of Chama , Chief Mwenewisi of Mafinga and Chief Chikwa also of Chama, respectively.
And Chief Lundu of Chama has been re-elected as Secretary General of the Muchinga Province Chiefs’ Council.
The full list of elected chiefs to sit on the Muchinga Province Chiefs Council is Chief Katyetye of Isoka as Chairperson, Chief Kambombo of Chama as vice chairperson, and Chief Lundu of Chama as Secretary.
Others are Senior Chief Kopa as treasurer while Chief Muyombe and Chief Mpepo were elected as Committee members.
And the National Action for Quality Education in Zambia ( NAQEZ) Muchinga Province chapter has congratulated the traditional leaders who have elected as members of both the Muchinga Province Chiefs Council and the House of Chiefs.
NAQEZ Provincial Coordinator Charles Goma encouraged elected chiefs in the Province to voice out for education and educate parents on the importance of education in their respective chiefdoms.
Stating that Chief Lundu has been an affiliated member of NAQEZ for two years now, Mr Goma said the traditional ruler among chiefs in the Province who strongly stood in promoting quality education by advocating for quality education in the nation.
Mr Goma said, the society of 21st century is evolving at a speed of light and education need to be prioritised so that the country produce responsible generation.
“We are appealing to the traditional leaders in the province to continue advocating for the promotion of quality education in the country,” said Mr. Goma.
Suppose the chieftaincy did not exist in Zambia, would we hv sought to create it?
No need to justify… Chief Puta summed it up well: “it was a mess”. We know that only the likes of Chitimukulu Sosala and Mpenzeni benefited from that ‘Ministry of Slush Fund’.
Why do we still have ‘House of Chiefs’? Chiefs should go and tackle traditional affairs of their subjects. I hope you are not giving them brown envelopes as you visit them.
Even ministry of steet kids , or ministry of orphans , or ministry of homeless or ministry of kids not in school ………
Would make more sense than that ministry of PF brown envelopes for chiefs…….
It can be cartered for the local government. However this minister should not be telling lies or excuses because he doesn’t even know why the ministry was abolished. Was consulted or even briefed by the president? Next State House will give a different reason.
You have house of Chiefs, so whats the point of a ministry of Chiefs? Should we also have a ministry of MP’s???
It was a platform for bogus chiefs like mpezeni and his tribal cousin the one who dubiously ascended to the throne….
Ministry of Chiefs and ministry of religious affairs were GOOD RIDDANCE ,waste of taxpayers money..
Thank you HH.
Its high time we stop this chief thing..the govt should grab most land from the chiefs
Redi @ 8, unfortunately government officials can also be corrupt. Who was profiting from Mukula wood exports? It was not government but PF government officials.
We must move away from titles and work on substance. I sometimes wonder how it is that a white professional has no problem being called a technician providing he has enough earnings coming his way whereas a black professional insists on being called Engineer even when his pay is less than that of a technician… we do not need to necessarily have a Ministry of Chiefs to actualize the importance of their Royal Highnesses.
Now you said it, yes, it is demeaning. Chiefs appear to have become punching bags for politicians. But, hey, no amount of harassment or demeaning treatment will diminish Chiefs’ standing in our culture. They may not be part of the political fraternity, but their importance is not lost on many Zambians. Appreciate the grounding their existence gives to our own identity. Accord our Chiefs the respect they deserve – they are relevant & will continue to serve their people, even without a Ministry!
Don’t just write off anything find first find out why such a ministry was created just stopping it doesn’t mean that you solve any problem, nothing is created for nothing very soon you will see the reason why they needed that ministry it is only because you are new in power wait for a year you will see.
How shameful it will be for you to bring it back , such mistakes had been made before, you don’t enter a house and start closing doors of open gates first ask let them tell you why the doors are open.
You will find that those are escape roots for fires as they are so regular in that area, so if you have built walls on those doors, fire will kill you.
Ministry of Chiefs, aka Ministry of Empowerment, aka Ministry of Bribes, was just one of those corruption tools of Edgar China Lungu. The quicker it is dissolved the better. And take those greedy chiefs and chieftainesses along as well! Totally incompetent and useless!
Especially Chieftainess Nkhomeshya from Chongwe, totally incompetent, held back the development of the area for years. Shoprite tried to open a supermarket in Chongwe for 3 years but refused to pay the greedy Chieftainess some “empowerment”. They even built a store. Now Choppies paid the hefty chieftainess-fee and finally the shop is open. Time for this incompetent lady to move on!