CHIEFS AND PEACE

CHIEF Chipepo of the Tonga-speaking people of Southern Province is definitely one voice in the wilderness whose wisdom cannot be compared with what is obtaining among some traditional leaders. While some chiefs have come out in the open as agents of destabilisation by allowing themselves to be used and cling to divisive partisan political views, Chief Chipepo has a more wider view of the political landscape. Moreso that Chief Chipepo is from a region where some traditional leaders have openly chosen not to work with the government of the day because it represents a political party they do not support. This is the more reason why all Zambians, particularly traditional leaders who have the interest of the nation should heed his wise counsel that traditional leaders should step up and spearhead the campaign for peaceful and harmonious co-existence among political parties in the country. As we have often pointed out before, Zambians will always be divided by the political parties that they choose to belong to as individuals. These divisions though, will not entail them to resort to physically harming themselves because they still believe they are one people. But it is something else when these political divisions are promoted by traditional leaders, especially when the tribal element is brought in. We hope these divisive traditional leaders will learn something from their colleague, that theirs is to unite the various political interest groups and make them realise that they are one people. Chief Chipepo, in an interview with this newspaper, called on traditional leaders to bring political parties together and counsel them on the importance of co-existence in maintaining the peace that the country had enjoyed over the years. It is even more frightening when some chiefs reject the government of the day purely on tribal lines. In a real democracy though, the party in power should not in anyway influence the relationship between those in government and the traditional leadership. They are simply ordained to work together. If anything, the two sides are partners in development. While the traditional leaders look after the customs of the local people, the government looks after the wider interests of the nation. When the two sides decide not to work together, then disunity, chaos, and other social ills take root, and the result is not something that anyone in their right frame of mind would wish for to happen. Like Chief Chipepo, we are also wary about the activities of some political parties who had been preaching hatred, disunity and divisive tendencies among Zambians for their selfish motives. But we are comforted that Zambia is in safe hands when you have traditional leaders like Chief Chipepo who realise the important role they play in safeguarding the country’s peace.

PURSUING JUSTICE AND EQUITY WITH INTEGRITY