By ETAMBUYU SANG’ANDU-
GOVERNMENT has launched the Shimukunami Chiefdom Development Strategic Plan (SDSP) for 2014-2018 which seeks to promote development in the area.
Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs, Nkandu Luo said on Saturday during the launch of the SDSP which coincided with celebration of this year’s Mutamfwa Nsala traditional ceremony of the Lamba-speaking people in Lufwanyama District that Government was determined to develop the country by working hand in hand with chiefs.
Prof Luo implored other traditional leaders in the country to emulate what Chieftainess Shimukunami had done so that they could come up with strategic plans for their chiefdoms.
Prof Luo said Government was looking forward to studying the strategic plan in order to work in collaboration with the chiefdom.
She said Government was committed to promoting traditional ceremonies because they helped in preserving and protecting the cultural heritage of the people.
“I would like to encourage all the traditional leaders in the country to emulate this development in this chiefdom and come up with strategic plans for their respective chiefdoms as it would be an easy way to bring development in the country,” Prof Luo said.
Prof Luo said Government had embarked on implementing various developmental projects in the district which included the construction of clinics.
She praised Chieftainess Shimukunami for her efforts in curbing cases of early marriages in her chiefdom and that Government would continue to work with cooperating partners to ensure that the traditional ruler’s endeavours were supported.
Prof Luo cautioned traditional leaders against giving away huge tracts of land to investors when Zambians were not benefiting anything from their land and resources.
She further commended the United States Agency for Development (USAID) that funded support to the HIV/AIDS Response in Zambia (SHARe II) for working with the traditional leadership in fostering development in chiefdoms in the country.
Chieftainess Shimukunami praised Government for the various developmental projects being implemented in the district.
She said in a speech read by her representative, Priscilla Mubanga that the chiefs in the district were ready to work with Government in order to bring development.
She thanked President Michael Sata for the support he was giving to traditional leaders in the country.