THE Lunda and Kaonde people are annoyed with Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata for going against tradition by touching the head of hospitalised Senior Chief Sailunga of the Lunda people of Mwinilunga.
Former national chairperson for the Lunda Cultural Association Newton Samakai said in a telephone interview from Lusaka that Lunda people throughout the country are upset by what Mr Sata did during his visit to the hospitalised chief.
And Solwezi District Nsakwa ya ba Kaonde cultural association vice-secretary Richard Mufwabule said in an interview in Solwezi on Friday that Kaonde-speaking people are unhappy with Mr Sata’s act.
They were reacting to a picture published in The Post newspaper on March 22, 2010 showing Mr Sata touching the head of Senior Chief Sailunga in bed at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
“As Kaonde people we have condemned the act by Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata for disrespectfully touching the head of the royal highness Senior Chief Sailunga, who is currently admitted to the UTH in Lusaka,” Mr Mufwabule said.
Mr Mufwabule said the condemned act is evident in the picture which shows Mr Sata unflinchingly and publicly touching the chief’s head.
He said although Mr Sata may want to portray himself as a good leader by visiting Senior Chief Sailunga, he was supposed to adhere to cultural norms.
“Mr Sata, like any other Zambian citizen, has the right to visit any hospitalised chief such as Senior Chief Sailunga but he must learn to value the type of behaviour and actions to apply when visiting dignified traditional leaders,” he said.
Mr Mufwabule said it was a well-known fact that it is taboo to touch the head of a chief of any tribe in the Bantu language fraternity.
“We urge all well-meaning Zambians and people of North-Western Province in particular to condemn Mr Sata’s behaviour as regards to Senior Chief Sailunga’s hospitalisation,” he said.
And Mr Samakai said it was also wrong for Mr Sata to visit the traditional leader tagging along a photographer to politicise and publicise the event.
“We thank him for visiting our chief but we are annoyed that he went to see a sick person carrying with him a cameraman to define his political mileage,” Mr Samakai said.
Mr Samakai said touching a chief’s head is taboo in the Lunda tradition.
“According to our Lunda culture, we don’t allow what Mr Sata did. In fact when a chief is sick only close relatives are aware of it and he must be kept outside the palace. It is just because of the modern situation that chiefs are taken to the hospital,” he said.
He said the Lunda Cultural Association committee chose to see Mr Sata before making a public reaction but the PF president is said to have told them to put their complaint in writing.
“Imagine the ache of the matter! For me that is unacceptable because he now wants the offended people to start dancing to his tune,” Mr Samakai said.
He advised all the annoyed Lunda people to remain calm as the cultural association is looking into the matter.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
