Posted Aug 13, 2009
Namwala, Aug 13/09 ZANIS - TWO Chiefs in Namwala district have joined several traditional rulers who have distanced themselves from comments by Chief Bright Nalubamba, saying chiefs in Southern Province regret supporting the president during the 2008 elections.
In two separate press statements made available to ZANIS yesterday, chief Mungaila and Chief-designate Mukobela said it was wrong for his royal highness chief Nalubamba to say all chiefs in the province regret supporting the President as he was not a spokesperson of chiefs in Southern Province.
The two traditional rulers advised chief Nalubamba to learn to stand on his own personal feelings and grounds as a citizen and in his own capacity so that those who sympathize with him come out to support him openly.
“It is not good for him to involve other chiefs in Southern Province who did not take part in such discussions, and chief Nalubamba should desist from issuing such comments as he is not the spokesperson of chiefs in the province, not even in Namwala where he comes from,” the two chiefs said in their statements.
The chiefs stressed that the laws of Zambia stipulate that everyone was free to vote according to his or her choice, adding that Chief Nalubamba should not force traditional leaders in the province to follow or support his thoughts on who he supports.
The two chiefs advised people not to take what Chief Nalubamba said as his comments did not receive any blessing from all the chiefs in the province.
Chief-designate Mukobela said it was important to understand that not all chiefs in Southern Province support involving chiefs in politics because traditional leaders should be seen to be people of high esteem and standing in society.
In his statement Chief-designate Mukobela challenged Chief Nalubamba to choose between being a traditional leader with all the respect due or being a politician exposing himself to rebuke and insults which do not befit the caliber of a chief.
Last week, in one of the daily tabloids dated August,7, 2009, Chief Bright Nalubamba was quoted as saying chiefs in Southern Province regret supporting President Rupiah Banda during last year’s Presidential elections as he has allegedly failed to deliver some of the promises he made.
ZANIS/ENDS/FM/EB.