Professor Luo said this is why government depends on traditional leaders as agents of development in rural areas far beyond its reach.

She said with the traditional leadership being at the focal point, the country will realize the much needed development.

Professor Luo implored Chiefs to initiate and facilitate developmental projects by creating an environment that is conducive and favourable for investment in their chiefdoms.

She was speaking in Solwezi yesterday during the Lubiinda Ntongo traditional ceremony of the Kaonde people of Chief Mumena.

Professor Luo said traditional ceremonies should be taken seriously as they complement the country’s tourism industry and have the capacity to promote decent employment.

She called on Chiefs to use traditional ceremonies as a way of harmonising and unifying the different social groupings.

Speaking earlier, Lubiinda Ntongo traditional ceremony national chairman Sunday Kayumba thanked President Edgar Lungu for promoting the one Zambia, one nation slogan which he said has united people regardless of tribe or race.

Lieutenant General Kayumba said the country can only develop if people remain as one unit.

And provincial council of Chiefs Chairperson Senior Chief Kanongesha called on President Edgar Lungu to take keen interest and address the challenges being faced in the province as discussed during a meeting at state house.

Senior Chief Kanongesha said chiefs will continue working with President Lungu in developing the province as he has shown passion.

Zango Youth Consortium Chairperson, Kayimbo Katengo said Mrs Wina’s unreservedly appeal for forgiveness has shown that she is a pillar of wisdom and unity to both government and the nation at large.

Mr. Katengo has since called on politicians to desist from engaging in tribal politics and instead focus on issues that promote national unity and human development for all Zambians.

He also said the Vice President’s handling of the Copperbelt University (CBU) and ZNBC unionised workers strike demonstrates a remarkable leadership.

Mr. Katengo further said the consortium was also happy with Mrs Wina’s remarks at Ukusefya pa Ng’wena traditional ceremony where she called for national unity and love for each other under the umbrella of one Zambia One Nation.

Mr Katengo stated that the Vice President has demonstrated the best of Zambian women leadership capabilities in ascending to higher public office saying people should now have more confidence in women.

Meanwhile, Mr. Katengo said his organisation is impressed that Zambia’s diplomatic relations have extremely improved under President Edgar Lungu considering the many heads of state that have visited the country and those that have invited the republican President to visit their respective countries.

He observed that such interactions between heads of state stands to benefit Zambia as they are an avenue for exchange of technical knowledge.

And Southern Province Chiefs’ spokesperson Chief Chikanta has welcomed an apology to the people of Southern Province from the Patriotic Front (PF) party.

Chief Chikanta in an interview commended President Edgar Lungu for paying attention to their grievances when they visited him at State House.

“This is the right thing to do for government. We are happy the matter has been put to rest and we now need to forge ahead,” he said.

Chief Chikanta, who travelled to Kasama for the installation of the new Chitimukulu of the Bemba people, Henry Sosala, and the Ukusefya Pa Ng’wena ceremony, said before the alleged uttering of derogatory remarks by the PF secretary general Davies Chama, President Lungu was scheduled to visit Southern Province and tour development projects.

Villages of Mululi in Chief Moono’s area in Mumbwa district have disrupted the erection of ZESCO pylons which run from Itezhi-tezhi to Lusaka demanding for compensation of their crops from the power utility company.

Acting Mumbwa District Commissioner Charles Hampende who rushed to Mululi village with ZANIS yesterday found that the contractor on Itezhi-tezhi-Mumbwa- Lusaka West 220/330kv transmission line have not been working for the past four days after villages blocked the paths with logs to bar any vehicle carrying material for construction from entering the area.

Speaking on behalf of the Villagers, Headman Mululi vowed not to allow the construction to resume until ZESCO compensates for the crops allegedly damaged during the construction of the pylons.

Headman Mululi claimed that ZESCO promised to compensate the villagers in April, but to date nothing has been paid.

The headman added that they feared that ZESCO would disappear after they finish the construction and that they will not be compensated.

But ZESCO Environmental Project Coordinator Sonny Musakabantu said the delay to compensate them was cause by some villagers who delayed to submit their National Registration Cards details to enable the corporation process their dues.

Mr. Musakabantu said that it is the policy of ZESCO to compensate those affected with the works and that those whose houses were affected have already been paid and the people who are remaining are those whose fields were affected.

He however said the company had by yesterday finished compiling the list of 96 people affected from Itezhi-tezhi to Lusaka and that their money would be ready by the end of this month.

Addressing the Villagers, Mumbwa Acting District Commissioner said the ZESCO project was a national developmental project which needs support from all Zambians.

Mr. Hampende appealed to villagers to give time ZESCO time to complete the works in order to mitigate the impact of load shedding which has hit the country.

He assured them that government will ensure that all those affected are compensated in full without any further delay.

Addressing a public meeting at Kapaka village in Bangweulu Constituency were she is on a campaign trail for the party candidate Robby Mwansa, the opposition leader said President Lungu was a novice in terms of governance hence the need for some people with experience in governance to train him on how he should run the country.

“The PF in Lusaka are saying they should find Bana Chimbusa for me because I have been talking a lot, you should tell them to find Bana Chimbusa to train ba Lungu on how to run the country.

Ba Lungu should be trained how to run the country because he has no idea, he is blank and does not understand anything about governing people. The way your President is governing our country is not the way you run the country.

Ever since he was elected President he is always flying from one country to another, in six months he has visited more countries then Dr. Kaunda who was President for 27 years. It’s like he does not believe that he is the one flying in the Presidential Challenger, its too good to be true but he should remember that he was elected to run our country’s affairs not to be a tourist.

Recently he went to South Africa for the AU meeting with other heads of states from across Africa after the meeting finished all his friends went back to their countries but he remained in South Africa for 8 more days as if that was not enough he comes back to Zambia and the following day he was out again Mozambique was the destination before he could be briefed on what is happening in the country out he went this time Malawi and as we are speaking he has just came back from Uganda that is not how you run the country.

What the Minister of Defence (President Lungu) is suppose to do is visit people like you who voted for him to know what your challenges are. You put him in that office to look after you not for him to be flying around like a Pungwa (a bird which spends time flying in search of food),” Ms. Nawakwi said.

She further noted that because President Lungu is clueless the country has continued to incur debt at an alarming rate something she said will have an adverse effect of future generations.

“This President and his Government have no clue on how to manage our economic all they know is Kaloba emobwawachela. This Government is jeopardizing the future of our children with their reckless Kaloba, just last week he got another kaloba. These people have incurred more debt in 3 years then UNIP did in 27 years and they have nothing to show for it. You cannot have a President presiding over such economic blunders and he does not show concern,” she said.

“The country’s economy is collapsing and the President is busy flying around an indication that the person you put in that office does not understand the magnitude of the task at hand.

She added ” what is happening in the country should be lesson to voters, you start scrutinizing people you elect to these important offices.”

The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) has challenged opposition UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema to condemn the attack on PF members in Monze Friday by suspected UPND cadres.

In a statement made available to media yesterday, Mr. Chanda says Mr. Hichilema knows too well that PF officials were arrested on the Copperbelt Province after his meetings were allegedly disrupted and the Head of State made clear and firm directives in that instance.

WE ARE CALLING ON UPND LEADER HAKAINDE HICHILEMA TO CONDEMN HIS CADRES ATTACKS AGAINST PF MOBILIZATION MEETING IN MONZE – SUNDAY CHANDA, VICE CHAIRPERSON, PF MEDIA AND PUBLICITY COMMITTEE

Lusaka, Zambia, 1STAugust 2015 – The Patriotic Front (PF) is concerned at United Party for National Development (UPND) and its leader Hakainde Hichilema’s play-victim attitude, that even after His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has shown dedicated political will to bring to book members of his own party to account for being accused of perpetrating violence against those with dissenting views. Mr. Hichilema knows too well that PF officials were arrested on the Copperbelt Province after his meetings were allegedly disrupted and the Head of State made clear and firm directives in that instance.

Mr. Hichilema knows that while he has been in Kasama, Northern Province, his UPND Cadres in Monze violently attacked a PF mobilization meeting which was scheduled to take place at Monze Golf Club. About 500 people among them former UPND provincial youth Secretary Twaambo Ndhlovu were defecting to the PF. Mr. Hichilema knows that before the defectors were formally received, about 150 suspected UPND cadres wielding an array of weapons including knives and pistols stormed the meeting and started attacking the people that had gathered for the PF meeting. Some of the attackers threatened to harm PF national mobilisation chairman Paul Moonga. The aggressors threw stones at the crowd seriously injuring two people who were rushed to Monze District Hospital.

While Mr. Hichilema is being welcomed peacefully in other parts of the country, including Kasama, we demand that he extends that goodwill in areas where his cadres enforce UPND’s Mapatizya formula. While in Kasama, Mr. Hichilema is reported to have said he felt at home as though he was in Monze. Once again we ask which Monze he referred to because the latest attack from his cadres in Monze does not fit into the hospitality he was given in Kasama. We are therefore demanding a clear condemnation of the violent attacks by Mr. Hichilema if indeed he is opposed to violence. Zambia has no space for political tendencies to play victim all the time.

We are also concerned that Police officers stood by and watched helplessly as some PF members begged them to stop the attackers. While it is not our intention to bring the Police into such matters, it is only prudent that the Zambia Police authorities investigate to establish the reported attitude from identified police officers.

Lastly, it is important for political parties to demand that citizens co-exist, irrespective of political or any other affiliation. The assorted political space Zambia has can only bring about the benefits of democracy if all leaders, without exception, condemn violence and celebrate the diversity.

Issued By: Sunday Chanda, Vice Chairperson, PF Media and Publicity Committee