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Govt. determined to maintain partnership with traditional rulers for development
Serenje, August 31st, 2014, ZANIS —– Government says it wants to maintain partnership with chiefs across the country to take development to the people.
Home Affairs Minister Dr Noosa Simbyakula says government recognises the critical role traditional leaders play in national development.
Dr. Simbyakula says this is the reason government wants to partner with them to take development to the people.
ZANIS reports that the minister said this during 17th anniversary celebrations of Chief Chibale of the Lala people of Serenje District in Central Province held at Chief Chibale’s Palace yesterday.
He said the PF government wants to work with chiefs because they understand their Chiefdoms and can advise government on the appropriate development that needs to be taken to the chiefdoms.
Dr Simbyakula said the PF government under the leadership of President Michael Sata has demonstrated its desire to work with the traditional leaders by creating the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs to look in to the affairs of Chiefs.
“We know as the PF government that if we worked with you, we cannot go wrong, ” Dr Simbyakula Observed.
The Home Affairs Minister who promised that government will ensure that Chibale Boarding school, whose works has stalled, opens in 2015 said government has an ambitious programme of developing all the chiefdom in the country.
He also said government will extend the Rural Electrification Programme to other Chiefdom and has urged the people of Chibale’s Chiefdom who do not have electricity to ensure they tap power as the fee required to so is minimal.
And Chief Chibale has commended government for continuing with the implementation of the Farmer Input Support programme (FISP) adding that the programme has played a major role in alleviating poverty in the rural areas.
In a speech read for him by his son Joshua Chibale, Chief Chibale said he is aware that this year, government has increased the number of FISP parks and hoped the increase will trickle down to the cooperatives and individual farmers.
The chief also commended government for paying farmers early for supplying their Maize to the Food Reserve Agency FRA and for erecting mobile telecommunication towers in his chiefdom.
Chief Chibale further urged youth to take the HIV/AIDS pandemic seriously and change their sexual lifestyles.
Meanwhile, Chief Chitambo of the Lala people of Chitambo District urged his subjects to embrace their culture and traditional values and to work hard to eradicate poverty.
Chief Chitambo also urged youth in the district not to seat idle but apply for Youth Developmen Fund (YDF).
And MTN Zambia Chief Sales and Distribution Officer Amon Jere said there is need to preserve the country’s Cultural heritage for posterity and as part of Zambia’s Tourism package hence MTN will continue to support traditional ceremonies for the benefit of the country.
Mr. Jere said traditional ceremonies helps his company understand how it can better serve its clients.
He said MTN is looking at ways of enhancing coverage In Chibale Chiefdom and the rest of Serenje District.
