. Chama

By CHILA NAMAIKO
THE Royal Foundation of Chiefs in Southern Province has distanced itself from misleading remarks by Chief Hamusonde of Monze that chiefs in the province are still angry with President Edgar Lungu over alleged ill-remarks by Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Davies Chama against Tongas.
The traditional leadership has since reaffirmed its support for President Lungu, saying  the matter regarding Mr Chama has already been addressed during a recent meeting held in Livingstone with the Head of State.
The Foundation firmly supports President Lungu because he has continued to show steady leadership by implementing various development projects around the country.
Foundation chairperson, Chief Chikanta, is happy that President Lungu is on the right path in fostering good governance, and needs steady support to accelerate national development.
Chief Chikanta said the foundation was, however, astonished with imbalanced remarks from some chiefs against Mr Lungu.
He was reacting to a statement attributed to Chief Hamusonde of Monze in The Post newspaper on Wednesday, alleging that chiefs in the province are still angry with President Lungu and are not ready to work with him for failure to discipline PF Secretary General Davies Chama over the alleged insult believed to be directed at the Tonga people.
Chief Chikanta observed that his counterpart’s speech could have bordered on a personal opinion as it was not the position of the foundation.
“I want to make it clear, chiefs work with the Government of the day, if we are angry with the President and not ready to work with him, we won’t achieve the development we want,” he said.
President Lungu met the chiefs in Livingstone recently to discuss Mr Chama’s issue and gave a direction over it.
Following that meeting, Chief Chikanta said chiefs in the province have not met again to discuss the matter as it was tabled at length.
He said the traditional leadership was taken aback to learn that some chiefs were still not ready to work with the President.
“Maybe it could have been a personal opinion because we haven’t met as chiefs to issue a fresh statement after meeting our President in Livingstone,” he said.
He observed that, if chiefs revolted against Government, such a move had potential to derail the delivery of development to their subjects.
Chiefs were partners in fostering socioeconomic development with Government to the local people.
He said the developmental projects that chiefdoms desired could largely be championed by President Lungu.