CHIEF CHIPEPO WARNS OF POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES IF PRESIDENT HICHILEMA FAILS TO ENGAGE WITH ALL TRADITIONAL LEADERS BEFORE 2026 ELECTIONS
By Balewa Zyuulu
Senior Chief Chipepo of Southern Province has warned about the potential consequences of President Hakainde Hichilema’s failure to personally engage with all traditional leaders in the country ahead of the 2026 general election.
In an interview with Phoenix News, Chief Chipepo explains the risks of relying on intermediaries rather than meeting directly with chiefs, warning that this approach could result in a loss of crucial support and valuable advice, which may influence the state of affairs in the country.
According to Senior Chief Chipepo, the President must meet all chiefs across all the 10 provinces to avoid perceptions of favoritism and ensure vital insights from traditional leaders are considered, particularly as some chiefs have already begun questioning the president’s absence at important ceremonies, potentially straining relations further.
He has urged President Hichilema to take time to sit with the chiefs, listen to their concerns, and seek their guidance on matters such as the cost of living which is at its all-time high.
PHOENIX NEWS
One wonders how a senior chief would be talking like this when historically this is the only and ONLY president to have attended almost all traditional ceremonies despite his tight schedule. Chiefs from across the country have been supported to attend all traditional ceremonies by way of logistics. So to me this is being self centered and lack of understanding of current and all former president when it comes to the ceremonies. This is arm twisting the president so that if he becomes emotional he starts producing political statements. Otherwise we urge HH to continue on the current trajectory, definitely the country is headed for the best.
From what we see mostly, the President always meet many Chiefs during these traditional ceremonies that he has so far attended.
I saw him meeting a number of Chiefs in one room during Likimbi lyamize. I saw him attending or meeting Chiefs during the other ceremonies in Eastern, Northern and Southern Provinces so i am not sure what Senior Chief Chipepo is talking about or means or does it mean that the President should travel and visit Chiefs through out the Country and meet each Chief at their, her / his palaces? Or if it is attending all traditional ceceremonies in order for him to meet the Chiefs, after all, its not all individual Chiefs who held this Ceremonies. I don’t know or is it the mind of freddie Mmemne who is promising all chiefs to be provincial ministers and DCs, that yhe chief is trying to bring out? i don’t know.
What engagement does he want? Senior Chief Chipepo is a neighbor to Chief Simamba, and Chief Simamba attended Likumbi lya Mize in Northwestern and met the President with all the other Chiefs who were there. And that’s how the President can kill several birds with one, otherwise for the President to see each Chief individually may not be possible. Moreover, HH uses an open door policy, even at Community House, the Sr Chief Chipepo can just make an appointment and see the President. Otherwise to insinuate that there will be potential consequences if President Hakainde Hichilema fails to personally engage with all traditional leaders in the country ahead of the 2026 general election is not only scare mongering to the President but it is also trying to hold him at ransom. The President meets traditional leaders wherever he goes and whenever he visits Provinces. I think the problem is on individual or personal engagement.
HH should attempt to attend all traditional ceremonies, big and small. This can be done by ensuring that next year he attends those he does not attend this year. Chief Chipepo is wise and his advice can only be dismissed at HH’s peril.
Actually truth be told we don’t even need chiefs is this day and age. Their value diminished many years ago. If you doubt my idea do a referendum on the need for chiefs in Zambia. The young people will tell you.
Chiefs grossly overrate their influence over their subjects. The only traditional leader with some influence over his subjects is the Litunga.
For instance the current Mwata was a staunch MMD supporter and went to the extent of forbidding PF campaigns in 2011 but the people rebelled in a spectacular way and voted for PF.
So chief Chipepo should not think that he or other chiefs exercise significant influence over their subjects as to determine who they vote for. He just wants some attention from the President.