Chief Chipepo condemns palace bombing
THE attack on Senior Chief Mweemba and three others, using a petrol bomb, was a barbaric act, the House of Chiefs has charged.
In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, House of Chiefs Chaplain Chief Chipepo said it was unfortunate that culprits behind the heinous deed, resorted to burning the chief and other victims over a succession wrangle.
“You have to be civilized over any dispute and as a man of God, I am advising all the royal establishments to come up with family trees just like Queen Elizabeth has a family tree to ensure succession issues are handled properly.
“When you have a family tree you know the rightful heir to the throne in advance. Like in my case, I have already identified among my sisters’ children who is supposed to be my successor. As, the House of Chiefs we have a model of England’s family tree on how the succession takes place,” Chief Chipepo said.
He said although some succession disputes were still in courts of law, there was no lawyer, magistrate, or judge who knew what it took for one to ascend to the throne.
“These are traditional issues and I remember the late President Mwanawasa, State Counsel, said lawyers and judges are not competent to settle succession dis- putes. We have young judges who do not know and understand what takes place in villages.
“Even land disputes happen if a chief has land rich in minerals or agriculture, another chief will support another person to fuel succession disputes. Those are some of the things sponsored by fellow chiefs, politicians or civil servants,” he said.
He added: “I have never heard any outsider support what is happening. It is within this line and my appeal as Chaplain and Pastor of the chiefs is that let us pray because this is a bad spirit which has come. I don’t remember in olden days such things happening. We lost a chief who was shot dead in Central province and within the same year another chief is burnt.”
He said when people are sworn in for any job, they do the work in the name of the President and even chiefs in old days were gazetted in the name of the President.
“Now the law does not allow anybody to challenge the chieftaincy of any chief because it is dangerous to do that and even this Article 165 should be revisited… the President and the courts have no power and authority to determine who should be a chief.
“No President, no judge and no minister can decide on a land dispute involving chiefs. Not even the House of chiefs can do that because the law does not allow. We work hand in hand with the government of the day, we do not work with politicians, and we do not work with presidents of political parties. We work with the Republican President, whoever comes into office, and people appointed by the President such as ministers and permanent secretaries.”