‘Family trees can shield succession wrangles’
Published On May 29, 2017 » 2704 Views» By Administrator Times » HOME SLIDE SHOW, SHOWCASE
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By JAMES KUNDA –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has challenged ruling clans to prepare unquestionable family trees as one way of averting succession wrangles that continue to bedevil chiefdoms when a sitting traditional leader dies.
The Head of State said chiefdoms were the foundation of Zambia’s tranquility, hence the need to ensure their stability.
“One of the ways to minimise succession disputes is for chiefdoms to prepare indisputable family trees which must be submitted to the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs,” the President said.

LUNGU

LUNGU

He added “this will help determine the rightful heir to the throne in case of disputes”.
President Lungu said this yesterday when he officially opened the first meeting of the Fifth session of the House of Chiefs in Lusaka.
This was Mr Lungu’s maiden address to the institution which draws a membership of 50 traditional leaders from across the country.
A visiting delegation from the Botswana House of chiefs witnessed the occasion.
He said the House of chiefs should seriously consider the guidelines that regulate the institution of chieftaincy to ensure conflict resolution in succession disputes and minimise the possible mushrooming of chiefdoms within existing chiefdoms.
Mr Lungu said the amended Constitution gave guaranteed chiefs a full mandate of self-regulation so that Government no longer had a say in succession disputes.
President Lungu said the Government would engage traditional leaders countrywide as ‘change agents’ to champion the cause of ending child marriage, a scourge largely driven by poverty and retrogressive traditional practices.
Government had great expectations of traditional leaders in ensuring that dialogue on ending child marriage continued for the  country to be free from child marriage by the year 2030.
“Our goal is to achieve a 40 percent reduction in child marriages by 2021 and I am happy to note that some chiefdoms have started recording positive results in the fight, with child marriage occurrence reducing to as low as two percent,” President Lungu said.
The Head of State said the Government was hopeful that the House of Chiefs would spearhead change in breaking barriers on negative traditional practices to promote a culture supporting child development.
He said traditional leaders should take the lead in dispelling sexuality myths and misconceptions by enhancing adolescent sexual reproductive health rights to help children and the youth make right decisions.
Mr Lungu directed Justice Minister Given Lubinda to ensure that gaps in the laws protecting children from harm were addressed.
The Head of State described as unfortunate practices by some traditional leaders who are illegally selling huge tracts of land to foreigners at the expense of Zambians.
President Lungu said, although chiefs were the custodians of land, they should not abuse that role, but preserve the country’s God-given inheritance.
The President was elated that the House of chiefs submitted its recommendations to the Government on constitutional reforms to refine the Supreme law of the land and address teething ambiguities.
He assured the traditional leaders that the Government was on track with rolling out inclusive social and economic development in the county.
Mr Lungu directed Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Minister Lawrence Sichalwe to ensure that the infrastructure deficiency in the House of chiefs’ operation premises was addressed.
The President also advised traditional leaders against exposing information of their subsidies and retainers’ wages in the public domain.

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