LAND GIFT – KING MSWATI MERELY RECIPROCATED
Chief Mujimanzovu of the Kaonde people in Mushindamo district in North Western Province, said that he was worried that some politicians had preoccupied themselves with unnecessary debates about President Lungu accepting land from the Kingdom of eSwatini.
The Chief told the Daily Nation yesterday that Zambia also gave land to King Mswati as an individual in Solwezi and not to the people of eSwatini on July 21, 2009, during his state visit to Zambia under fourth republican President Rupiah Banda.
He said chiefs in the province through himself (Chief Mujimanzovu) gave King Mswati land which he promised to develop.
"King Mswati was given land by me with a view of one ce- menting the relationship which exists between Zambia and Mswati and the mere fact that we gave him land did not mean we will give him resources to develop the land," Chief Mujimanzovu explained.
He recalled that King Mswati promised to send a delegation from eSwatini to come and see what sort of development could be done on the land and also look at economic activities the two countries could embark on.
"If he so wishes to develop the land, I think we would have no problems ourselves because we offered it and it is up to him on how he develops it," he said.
The traditional leader said the giving of land to an individual was out of interest expressed by that particular person and King Mswati was simply reciprocating the gesture extended to him in 2009.
Chief Mujimanzovu further said King Mswati promised to reciprocate the gesture when the Zambian President visited that country, which he had done by giving land to President Lungu.
He said from the current crop of politicians, Zambia was witnessing politics which would neither bring sanity nor promote peace and unity in the country. This situation must be reversed, he added.
Chief Mujimanzovu becomes the third traditional leader in the country after Chief Chamuka of the Lenje people of Kabwe in Central Province and Chief Chikanta of the Tonga people of Kalomo in Southern Province to clarify that there was no wrong-doing by President Lungu in accepting land from King Mswati.