APPOINTING TRADITIONAL LEADERS AS CIVIC LEADERS SO DEMEANING TO ROYAL LEADERSHIP- MWEETWA
Choma-Saturday, February 10
Minister of Information and Media Cornelius Mweetwa said he is disappointed by the Socialist Party president Fred M’membe’s suggestions that he would want to demean the integrity of traditional leaders by appointing them as civic leaders.
Speaking in Choma District at the handing over of Youth empowerment and sports kits to community sports teams by the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, Mr Mweetwa charged that traditional leadership is a well-respected group of people to submit to him.
He further advised the opposition party leader not to involve traditional chiefs in Politics adding that traditional leadership has its unique way of ascending to the throne.
“M’membe’s Promise to put Traditional Leaders as Provincial Ministers and DCs is an insult to our great traditional Leadership in the country because our traditional leaders cannot be reduced to Chola boys” he said.
He has since indicated that the Socialist Party Leader’s briefing lacked important issues that they will do for the Zambian people apart from demeaning traditional leadership.
Meanwhile, Minister of Youths Sports and Arts Elvis Nkandu has refuted claims by the opposition political parties citing that the United Party for National Development UPND government has failed to deliver on the aspirations of the Zambian people.
Mr Nkandu while acknowledging the challenges facing the country, said that the government has also far responded to the many campaign promises.
The Kaputa lawmaker charged that the opposition should give the UPND administration a chance to deliver as opposed to unconstructive criticism that the government has failed.
He further acknowledged that the UPND government is aware of the high prices of fuel and the cost of living afflicting many Zambians in the country.
He, however, assured that President Hakainde Hichilema’s UPND administration was working tirelessly to improve the human index to benefit Zambians within its given mandate.
“We are aware of the challenges our people were faced with, but for some individuals to say the UPND government has failed, I think that is not sincere and if properly checked they may not be in their right frame of mind because in the space of two years and some months, while there challenges to be addressed, we have on the other hand achieved a lot of things as the UPND government,” he said.
He said those saying that this government has failed are just bitter that UPND set high standards.
“It is what this government has achieved that even political parties are opting to use chiefs in their cheap propaganda instead of providing checks and balances,” said Nkandu.