FORUM for African Traditional Authorities of Zambia (FATAZA) has appealed to the new government to come up with a legal framework to strengthen the House of chiefs to enable the institution resolve issues affecting chiefs in the country.
FATAZA general secretary, Chief Ishima Sankeni VI of the Lunda people in Zambezi district says the house of chiefs in its current form has been a white elephant.
Chief Ishima said the House of Chiefs has not been able to settle issues affecting chiefs like land disputes and succession wrangles because there is no legal framework to support its decisions.
“What we want from the new government is to strengthen the House of. FATAZA we have seen that the House of Chiefs has been a white elephant because it cannot settle some of the land disputes and chieftaincy wrangles,” he said.
He said in an interview yesterday that most chiefdoms are rocked with land disputes and succession wrangles which the House of Chiefs could have helped to address if it had legal backing.
Chief Ishima has urged the incoming United Party for National Development (UPND) government under President Hakainde Hichilema to give power to the House of Chiefs to settle traditional matters.
“We feel so embarrassed that the traditional disputes which were supposed to be settled by the royal establishments through the House of Chiefs they end up into the High Court and this is demeaning the institution of Chieftainship,” Chief Ishima said.
He has also advised the new government to work with all chiefs to ensure inclusive development especially in rural areas.
Chief Ishima has appealed to the incoming government to prioritise working on feeder roads leading to chiefs palaces and farming blocks.
He also wants the new government to build more schools and health facilities in rural areas to reduce on rural-urban drift once such facilities are taken closer to the communities.
Chief Ishima has since congratulated the UPND and its Alliance partners on the election victory of Mr. Hichilema in the just ended August 12 general elections.
“We as FATAZA, we pledge to work as usual with the government of the day and we will give them our support,” he said.
He also urged the newly-elected head of State to ensure an inclusive government by appointing people from all the 10 provinces of Zambia and remove the tribal tag associated with the UPND party.
Chief Ishima said President Hichilema’s victory was for all Zambians as evidenced from the voting pattern where he received maximum votes from all the regions.
“This shows that the people of Zambia in this era are not interested in any tribal divisions, regionalism or hate speech but they want politicians that would bring food on their tables and development,” he said.
Chief Ishima has also praised outgoing President Edgar Lungu for conceding defeat and ensuring a smooth handover of power to Mr. Hichilema.
