Christian values vital, says Minister

PEOPLE in Kanyama Chiefdom in Mwinilunga district should preserve and harness the Christian content in the Chidika Chanvula traditional ceremony, National Development Planning Minister Alexander Chiteme has advised.

Mr Chiteme said Chidika Chanvula was one of the four traditional ceremonies in North-western province based on Christian values which must be preserved and harnessed to help spur good morals among the people.

The Minister was speaking in Mwinilunga at the weekend during the Chidika Chanvula traditional ceremony of Chief Kanyama of the Lunda people. He said traditional ceremonies based on Christian values could significantly help reduce the spread of a number of vices such as immorality, gender based violence and hate among them.

Mr Chiteme said Government would continue to engage all traditional leaders and other stakeholder to discourage child marriages. “President Edgar Lungu has taken it upon himself to champion the fight against this scourge with a view to ensuring that child marriages are eradicated by 2030,” he said.

Mr Chiteme implored all traditional leaders to partner with Government in the fight against the vice by continually sensitizing their subjects on the importance of giving equal opportunities to both girls and boys to get an education.

And Chief Kanyama said that he would continue promoting the principle of One ambia One ation in his Chiefdom.