Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, Micheal Kaingu, says his ministry is committed to the promotion of tourism through traditional ceremonies.

Mr Kaingu alos said his ministry has embarked on the promotion of tourism so that traditional ceremonies in all the provinces attract tourists.

“Without traditional ceremonies, our provinces are dead and that is why my ministry has set up a programme from January to December to promote traditional ceremonies throughout the country,” Kaingu said.

Mr Kaingu said this in Mazabuka during the Kuomboka fund raising dinner which was held at the Mazabuka Golf Club over the weekend.

And speaking at the same function, Kuomboka Fundraising Chairman General, Vincent Kamuti, appealed to the public to contribute generously as the Kuomboka Ceremony was an expensive venture to conduct.

Mr Kamuti observed that more than 300 paddlers are involved in the ceremony and need adequate training and preparations, hence the need for more resources.

He praised the government for its commitment to the development and promotion of traditional ceremonies.

During the same fund raising dinner, Zambia Sugar PLC donated one tonne of sugar, Bhagoos Group of Companies donated K5 million, while Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament, Garry Nkombo, gave away US 200 Dollars with Mr Kaingu donating K1 million to the district Kuomboka Committee.

The House of Chiefs has appointed five Southern province chiefs to resolve the succession dispute in Senior chief Mweemba’s chiefdom in which four people have submitted their family trees to Sinazongwe District Council claiming to be the rightful heirs.

Speaking at the meeting in Maamba township, chief Munyumbwe who was the chairperson of the chiefs, said the House of Chiefs has appointed them to resolve the matter after getting the submission from the four contestants.

However, during their submission all the contestants who included Joe Siakalonga, Lason Siasokwe, Edson Shamu, and Frank Katele all claimed to be the true owners of the chiefdom.

The meeting resolved that the five chiefs who included, chief Munyumbwe, Chikanta, Chipepo, Sinadambwe, and Sinazongwe, should analyse the family trees and the submission of each candidate for them to decide who should be the Senior Chief Mweemba.

Chief Chikanta announced that the recommendation would be sent to the House of Chiefs who would in turn send their findings to Sinazongwe District Council to communicate to the candidates.

“We have to analyse all the submissions carefully before recommendations are made. We do not want to do it in a hurry. The report will go to the house of Chiefs and you will be told of the outcome,” Chief Chikanta said.

Earlier, Chief Munyumbwe told the four contestants to choose among themselves and to select one person to be the Senior Chief Mweemba.

The four contestants refused the chiefs idea that they would not manage since everyone wanted to be a chief and decided that the five chiefs should choose the right candidate on their behalf basing on the submission they had made.

In his submission Katela told the gathering that the Chiefdom of Mweemba originated from Simeja and he was the rightful owner to inherit it.

But senior Chief Sinazongwe reminded him that Simeja was sub-chief in the colonial days and at the time of recognising chiefs he was left out adding

Chief Sinazongwe said government also abolished the establishment of new chiefdoms.

Subula Sianyama who is also headman Siameja said the chiefdom of Senior Chief Mweemba should be changed to Siameja and be transferred from Kanchindu to Siameja.

Mr. Siakalonga who is also the brother to the late Senior Chief Mweemba who died last year, said he does not know Katele from Siameja as for the past 608 years they have not been in touch.

“We have just heard them now and we have no graves for their ancestors anywhere, we’re not related and our spirits are different,” Mr Siaklonga said.

Mr Siasokwe who walked in the room with his briefcase, a chart containing his family tree said he was in the blood line.

He said he was surprised that people from Siameja were claiming to be the rightful heir when Headman Siameja installed him to be the next.

But Headmen Siameja refused in the presence of the five chiefs even when Sinazongwe Council Secretary Oliver Muuka saw him when he brought Mr. Siasokwe’s first submission.

Chief Munyumbwe said headmen should not tell lies because it does not show respect.

The Chief said President Levy Mwanawasa wanted the matter to be addressed traditionally and he would not condone people telling lies even when they have changed their mind to support other candidates.

Mr. Shamu who had the longest submission told the meeting that all the candidates claiming to be chiefs were not his relatives despite all of them giving the same family tree.
Sinazongwe District Administrative Officer (DAO) Sokoloku Daka attended the meeting.

Water Aid Zambia has committed K1 billion to improve water and sanitation facilities in the four wards of Samfya district in Luapula province.

This came to light yesterday during the commemoration of World Water Day organised by Water Aid Zambia at Chilupula village in Mano ward.

Water Aid Zambia representative, Moses Mumba, said in a speech to mark the occasion that the K1 billion has been spread over three years starting from 2007 to 2010.

Mr. Mumba, who is Water Aid Zambia Luapula province senior programme officer, said the money will go into the construction of community latrines, installation of hand water pumps and capacity building among communities in promoting hygienic practices.

He said the K1 billion has been provided by the European Union, EU, for the water and sanitation project being implemented through the collaboration with development Aid from People to People (DAPP) and Samfya district council.

This year’s World Water Day was commemorated under theme ‘Sanitation Matters’ in line with the United Nations declaration of 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation.

And DAPP team leader for Samfya Analisah Mutambara said 2,100 community latrines, 47 ventilated VIP latrines at schools and 92 water wells will be constructed under the project in Samfya by 2010.

She said so far 740 community latrines and 26 school VIP latrines have been constructed while 14 boreholes have been sunk.

Fifty-eight latrines and two boreholes have been constructed in Chilupula village where where this year’s World Water Day commemoration was held in Samfya yesterday.

Ms. Mutambara said 18,000 people in Kafumbo, Mano, Kapamba and Kasongole wards will benefit from the water and sanitation facilities.