By Chimwemwe Njoloma
The chieftaincy wrangles in Traditional Authorities (TAs) Mazengera and Kalolo in Lilongwe have finally been put to rest after government Friday installed heirs to the two thrones, which have been vacant for nine and two years respectively.
The two, Davis Sindeya for TA Kalolo and Tima Chonongera for TA Mazengera were crowned TAs at a ceremony that took place at Lilongwe District Council.
Presiding over the installation ceremony, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Grezelder Jeffrey said the vacancies have derailed development and brought divisions because people could not respect the ones acting.
She said it is the wish of government to fill all the chieftaincy vacancies but court injunctions have always restricted government to do so.
“Areas that have no chiefs are always sidelined in developmental projects and also implementation becomes a challenge. It takes forever for the family members to resolve their misunderstandings which are a blow to government,” said Jeffrey.
She said government fights to further development in all the areas without bias but where the house is not in order coordination becomes a challenge hence misunderstandings dominate and development doesn’t become a priority.
Lilongwe District Council Chair, Councillor Luciano Botomani hailed government for the move, saying it is the beginning of new things in the areas but also for the whole district.
He said there are a lot of chieftaincy injunctions that go unresolved for a long time, leaving the council with no choice but to wait for the decision of the courts.
“Lilongwe is one of the districts that have highly recorded a number of injunctions on chieftaincy. This has affected a lot of areas including Mazengera which has had acting for nine years,” he said.
Botomani urged family members to always be tolerant when choosing heirs in order to minimize injunctions and allow government to operate in the rightful and acceptable manner.
He added that currently, TA Kabudula is also vacant as concerned families are failing to agree on who to ascend to the throne.
“As a council, we would love to see all vacant thrones filled. Let me urge family members to be tolerant and to always agree on who is to succeed. We have had enough of the fights and injunctions,” said Botomani.
Addressing fellow chiefs in attendance, TA Kalumbu said it is in order that chiefs should thank government for seeing to it that matters of chieftaincy in the two areas have been put to rest.
He said it was disheartening to see the two areas operating without TAs, leading to people losing respect for those that were entrusted to act.
“This is what we have all been waiting for. It has taken time to reach this far, but we are glad that finally people from these areas now have someone they can run to when there is need.
May I urge our two friends to go and unite the people and mend all differences that erupted in the midst of choosing who to take over” said Kalumbu.
He said there have been alot of misunderstandings in the two areas but asked them to forget the past and treat all equally.
The two chiefs, thanked government for helping to put their homes in order, saying this will go a long way in rebuilding the areas that lagged behind because of lack of leadership.
The ceremony was held in observance of covid-19 preventive measures.-MANA
