. Lungu

By JAMES KUNDA in Chikankata –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has said he has stopped attending traditional ceremonies as his presence at the events is fuelling national division on tribal lines.

Mr Lungu said he had information that his attendance at a single ceremony of a tribe is causing discomfort amongst tribes whose ceremonies he had delegated a representative.
Mr Lungu said this when he met five traditional leaders: senior chief Chipepo and Nalwama of Southern Province, chieftainesses Mwenda and Chiyawa of Southern Province and senior chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II of Chongwe in Lusaka Province.
Chief Sikongo, also of Southern Province had been due to attend but withdrew due to illness.
In response to a request by senior chieftainess Nkomeshya to grace the Chakwela Makumbi traditional ceremony of the Soli people in Chongwe this year, the President said he would no longer attend such functions.
“I made a declaration before my colleagues in Cabinet on Monday that I would no longer be attending traditional ceremonies because, it’s like, my presence is causing more division on tribal lines than unity,” President Lungu said.
Mr Lungu said he had information that his presence at the Nc’wala traditional ceremony of the Ngoni people in Eastern Province was politicised after he delegated Vice-President Inonge Wina to attend the Kulamba traditional ceremony of the Chewa people of Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
The President said he was taken aback by the reaction as he had been guest of honour at last year’s edition of the Kulamba traditional ceremony superintended by Paramount Chief Gawa Undi.
He said while Ms Wina was on a working visit in Itezhi-Tezhi of Central Province, it was learnt that no Government official was required to officiate at a named traditional ceremony of the area.
President Lungu said word went round that the people of the area were even threatening to vote the Patriotic Front (PF) from office during the 2021 general elections.
He said the sentiments surprised him as apart from the Nc’wala, he had graced the Kuomboka ceremony of the Lozi people in Western Province and the Kusefya Pa Ng’wena of the Bemba people in Northern Province.
“So I don’t understand why it becomes a problem if I delegate a representative,” Mr Lungu said.
He said an invitation from senior chief Inyambo Yeta (of Western Province) for his 40-year coronation but he was planning to decline. “I’ll phone him this afternoon and I’ll tell him that I am in a dilemma”.
President Lungu said he had never intended for traditional ceremonies to be politicised as the age-old events were neither PF or United Party for National Development (UPND) initiated.
He said ceremonies were to be enjoyed by every Zambian regardless of political inclination or tribe of origin.
Mr Lungu said the US$2 billon Kafue Gorge Lower hydro power project, for which he was in the area to witness the ‘Kafue River diversion’ after meeting the traditional leaders, was also a milestone project which should benefit all Zambians.