By CLEVER ZULU in Zambezi –
VICE-PRESIDENT Guy Scott yesterday led hundreds of people at Likumbi Lya Mize traditional ceremony of the Luvale people in Zambezi District where he reiterated the Government’s commitment to preserving the Zambian cultures and traditions.
Dr Scott said that traditional ceremonies were important in maintaining tradition and culture for the Zambian people as well as enabling them to uphold the country’s cultural heritage.
Dr Scott said Zambia believed in traditional leadership because chiefs had a role to play in shaping the future by removing negative practices such as gender-based violence and early marriages.
The Vice-President assured that the PF Government had an ambitious agenda of developing the whole country, which was evidenced by many development activities that were going on.
Dr Scott also assured that he would soon direct relevant officials to address the delay in implementing the learning of local languages in schools in the district.
On health, he said the Government was constructing a mothers’ shelter and four health posts in Zambezi West while 6,000 vulnerable communities had benefited from the social cash transfer scheme.
Dr Scott, who donated iron sheets for the main arena at the ceremony, said the Government had no intention of demarcating Zambezi into two districts.
Earlier, Senior Chief Ndungu of the Luvale people thanked President Michael Sata for introducing local languages in schools.
He was, however, concerned that implementation had delayed in the district. He also appealed to the Government to construct a bridge across the Zambezi River to connect Zambezi West and East.
Zamtel chief marketing officer Evans Muhanga said the indigenous phone firm was happy to be associated with Likumbi Lya Mize.  Zamtel spent K200,000 on the ceremony.
Meanwhile, JULIUS PHIRI reports from Katete that scores of people yesterday thronged the tiny district to witness the annual Kulamba traditional ceremony of the Chewa people at Mukaika.
Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Minister Yamfwa Mukanga led other Government officials, including former president Rupiah Banda at Mkaika, the headquarters of the Chewa from Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
Mr Mukanga said the Government would ensure that traditional ceremonies strengthened the integrity of the people’s origins and value systems.Earlier, Paramount Chief Undi of the Chewa, who spoke through Induna Chikuta Mbewe, urged the Government to improve the delivery of farming inputs under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).
The traditional leader said that FISP had been characterised by late delivery of inputs, a situation which had led to poor yields by small-scale farmers.