PARAMOUNT Chief Mpezeni says it is now time to change goal and play another game.
And Eastern Province UPND chairperson Johabie Mtonga says the new government will respect and work well with traditional leaders and civil servants.
Speaking when Mtonga and some members of the UPND provincial executive committee paid a courtesy call on him at Ephendukeni palace on Monday, Mpezeni said traditional leaders work with government of the day.
“Kaili chitukuko manje chili namweo, nanga ungayende kusebenza na opposition, kulibe munthu angasebenze na opposition. Chitukuko sichingabwele ngati usebenza na opposition. So ndiye chifukwa chake apa lomba, so manje tili namweo! Vonse vila venzokambika ofanikila game izisintha, osati muli na game imodzi naimodzi kuti kapena bwanji. Bola izisintha, apa manje ni change goal, mwachita manje change goal tiyeni manje titeye bwino bola osati kungolatana vikumo (Now development is with you. You cannot start working with the opposition. No one can work with the opposition. Development cannot come if you work with the opposition. So this is the reason, this time we are with you! All those things that were said, the game should change. You cannot play the same game. The game should change and we are now at change goal. You have changed the goal, so let’s play the game well not finger pointing),” he said.
Mpezeni said there was need to pay attention to development.
“If we continue finger pointing, development will lag behind. There will be no development here in Eastern Province. Let’s not waste time finger pointing each other. Let’s work hard. Like you know, we don’t have mines here in Eastern Province. Ours is agriculture,” he said. “I am happy because today when I was listening to Radio Maria news, agriculture minister Reuben Mtolo said he did not do any work in his life apart from working in the agricultural sector. I am hopeful that this sector will perform well under him.”
Mpezeni implored the government to pay attention to the agricultural sector so that the country could develop.
“Like what Hon Mtolo said that he will ensure that fertiliser distribution under Farmer Input Support Programme is flagged off as fast as possible, things can be okay,” he said.
Mpezeni said to every election there was always a winner and a loser adding that the UPND are the winners.
“Everything ended and we have a new government. And it’s the same, all the chiefs are no longer working with the old government but the new one,” he said. “We are going to work with the new government. We cannot fail to work with the new government.”
Mpezeni said what transpired in the past was mere politics.
“A knowledgeable person will work with the person who is there. The one who has power and not those without power. That’s when development can come. Development can come if you work with the government of the day,” he said.
And Mtonga said the provincial committee saw it prudent to visit the traditional leader and assure him that they would work with him.
“You are the one with people. All those who were voted into office are your children and they were voted into office by your people. For development that we talk about to happen, we all need to work with our traditional leaders and respect them,” he said. “This is the reason why we have come and as the UPND government, we want to respect traditional leaders, the general citizens and civil servants.”
Mtonga said the UPND wants civil servants to work freely and not to be intimidated.
“Development cannot come if we intimidate each other. There should be freedom of movement, people should visit each other, tribe by tribe, so that we share ideas on how we can development our country,” he said.
Mtonga said although problems are always there, certain problems can easily be sorted out with the involvement of traditional leaders.
“When we sit with you here, we can identify the challenges that people face and we can take those issues to MPs, councillors up to the President so that they attend to them,” he said. “We know that chieftainship will remain there and will always be useful to the governance system.”
Mtonga was accompanied by provincial vice-chairperson Mike Tembo, provincial treasurer Alex Phiri, provincial vice-treasurer Lucky Matongo and provincial youth chairperson Lyson Nyirenda, among others.