by Justin Mupundu, Zambia, August 1997
THEME = CULTURE
Some people say that the chiefs should not be active party and government politicians, for fear of loosing their old customs, and their titles of honour. Others affirm that because they are only titular leaders, the institution of chieftainship is safe.
The power to recognise traditional chiefs rests with the President. Former president Kenneth Kaunda recognised more than 287 chiefs plus their body-guards, and put them on the government payroll. He also introduced a 27-member House of Chiefs, composed of 3 chiefs, chosen from each of the nine provinces of Zambia. Their function was to act as representatives of the other chiefs and interest themselves in traditional affairs.
Kaunda also appointed chiefs to party and government posts. But when President Frederick Chiluba and his Movement for Multi- Party Democracy (MMD) came to power in November 1994, the chiefs were forced to take a backseat, on the assumption that they are above politics!
But some chiefs declared themselves interested in politics. For example, Chief Malembaka of the Lamba people of Adola Rural Copperbelt Province, and Chief Inyambe Yeta of the Lazi Western Province who is vice-president to Dr.Kaunda's United National Independence Party (UNIP).
Historically, chiefs were active leaders of the clans, tribes and villages, and of course these positions were political in themselves! Yet in modern politics, the term does not mean that at all. So, what are traditional leaders in this day and age?
Every time elections (every five years) approach, the issue of traditional leaders hits the front pages of the newspapers. From mid-August to December, the Ministry of Local Government and Housing has launched a series of meetings, conferences, seminars and workshops to canvas views for drafting policy on chiefs. A policy intended to examine how to incorporate chiefs into the political mainstream; to debate their future; to decentralize payment of their salaries. The central Government through, the Ministry of Local Government, pays out more than Kwacha 54 million (about 41,000 US dollars) every month in salaries for chiefs and their body-guards. Salaries and allowances, plus palace maintenance, costs the country about K1 billion a year.
Chiefs are a symbol of African traditions, yet they are not indispensable. People say that any elected official can perform the same duties as a traditional chief. It's clear that at present, nobody seems to know the chiefs' future!
END