CHOOSING PALACE OVER STATE HOUSE
….HH declines Chieftainess Nkomeshya’s request to visit State House, electing instead to take seat of Government to her Chongwe domain
By DAVID KANDUZA
MOMENTS after presiding over a solemn swearing-in ceremony for two Cabinet ministers at State House, President Hakainde Hichilema took a detour from standard executive protocol, opting for a gesture steeped in deep traditional reverence.
The revered matriarch of the Soli people, Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II, had formally requested an audience with the Head of State within the grand, manicured lawns of State House.
In the chessboard of political and traditional diplomacy, such a request from a traditional ruler to a sitting president is customary.
But President Hichilema flipped the script.
“She is our mother and our traditional leader,” the President later reflected. “We felt it was only right that we should be the ones to go to her at her palace.”
Accompanied by a delegation including regional officials and advisors, President Hichilema travelled to the royal palace in Chongwe District.
Chieftainess Nkomeshya, a veteran figure in Zambian governance, welcomed the delegation for substantive discussions on key chiefdom challenges.
The talks addressed long-standing boundary disputes originating from colonial-era demarcations, and administrative hurdles for traditional leaders attending council meetings under recent constitutional amendments.
In response, President Hichilema committed to addressing the boundary issues and directed that chiefs whose territories span multiple districts may appoint proxies for council engagements.
The visit concluded with mutual well-wishes for health and governance, underscoring an administration approach that bridges modern statecraft with traditional leadership.