Take lead in development– Chiefs told

—- Mines ,Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma has called on chiefs to take a leading role in the development of the country.

Mr Yaluma says government recognizes the important role that chiefs play in ensuring that peace which is necessary for development in the country is maintained.

Mr Yaluma says government is aware of the challenges that chiefs face throughout the country and will ensure that they are addressed.

ZANIS Reports that Mr Yaluma said this when he officiated at this year’s Mutomboko Traditional Ceremony of the Lunda People of Mwansabombwe district in Luapula province.

Mr Yaluma said government was making frantic efforts to respond to challenges that are faced by its people in different chiefdoms throughout the country.

He said in Mwansabombwe, government has embarked on several projects among them the construction of Kapale secondary school among many other projects in different sectors of the economy.

Mr Yaluma assured the people of Mwansabombwe that government was doing everything possible to ensure that the construction of the Mwansabombwe district offices was speeded up observing that the infrastructure was key to the development of the area.

Earlier, Luapula Province Minister Benson Kapaya observed that the construction of roads under the Link Zambia 8000 road Project was aimed at attracting investment to the province.

Brig. Gen Kapaya called on the people in the country to embrace love adding that it was the only way that the country would exist in unity.

And the Mwata Kazembe of the Lunda people called on government to initiate small business ventures in the chiefdom that would cushion the depleting fish in the rivers.

Speaking through Mutomboko Midlands Chairman Misheck Kaoma the Mwat Kazembe commended government for upgrading the pedicle road saying it would open up the province to markets on the Copperbelt.

The ceremony was attend by Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern province, several  Ministers, Senior government officials and opposition political party leaders.