NO ONE HAS POWERS TO DECIDE ON WHO SHOULD BE PARAMOUNT CHIEF OF TONGA PEOPLE – CHIEF MOONZE
Senior Chief Moonze of Tonga Speaking people in Monze district has charged that the Southern Province Royal Establishment Committee has no authority to decide on who should be Paramount Chief in Southern Province.
During the official opening of the Lwiindi Gonde traditional ceremony in Monze on Monday, Organizing Committee Chairperson, Patrick Sikawala requested government to gazette Chief Moonze as paramount chief of the Tonga land.
Later in separate interviews, Provincial Royal Committee Chairperson Chief Nalumba and Secretary Chief Hamaundu said the Council of Chiefs in the region have not had time to enough time discuss issues of who amongst themselves should be installed as paramount chief.
According to Phoenix Chief Nalubamba says there are a lot of issues that should be agreed up on by the traditional leaders in the region before choosing a paramount leader of the land.
Chief Hamaundu told Chikuni Radio News that this matter is difficult to talk about because there are issues of blood, clan, lineage, and systems to be considered first.
But in an Interview with Chikuni Radio today, Chief Moonze describes the Provincial Royal Establishment Committee as any other committee which has no powers to talk about such matters of who should the Paramount leader of the land.
Chief Moonze explains that according to the documents from the Council office in Monze on judgment passed in 1929 and 1931 Moonze Chiefdom should be given Paramount Position in Southern Province.
He states that Zambia as whole only has four recognized Paramount chiefs and Chief Moonze is among them.
The Traditional Leader states that personally he may not be suitable for the position of Paramount Chief but that the position is for Moonze Chiefdom.
Chief Moonze advises those arguing to this to consult the relevant authorities and not to bring politics in the traditional rule.
He says ‘it is a taboo for young ones to speak on matters they do not understand, they must seek counsel before people conclude that they are mad.’’