PRESIDENT Lungu has urged Paramount Chief Mpezeni and other traditional leaders to join the crusade against tribalism and regionalism that retards development.
Mr Lungu said no meaningful development can take place in the country which is divided by the scourge of tribalism and regionalism.
The President said this when he graced the Nc’wala ceremony in Chipata yesterday.
The ceremony, held under the theme ‘celebrating unity in diversity’, was attended by Malawian President Peter Mutharika, former President Rupiah Banda, diplomats, senior Government officials and other local traditional leaders.
President Lungu said the scourge of tribalism and regionalism need to be rooted out in the country as it promotes disunity and disorderly.
“I received information from the security wings that this scourge, tribalism and regionalism have reached schools, market places and workplaces,” he said.
He said there is need for traditional leaders to help Government in the crusade against the vice.
President Lungu said traditional leaders should promote the slogan of ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ that unites ethnic groupings across the country.
President Lungu said he has taken a lead by making an all-inclusive Cabinet.
He said the Nc’wala ceremony, like other traditional ceremonies, will not be politicised by Government because it wants to focus on developmental issues like those affecting farmers.
He said the ceremony is a tourist attraction which woos local and international tourists but was disappointed the local people, especially in South Luangwa, are still porters instead of owning lodges like foreigners do.
He reiterated his call of setting up milling plants in all provinces if the business community is reluctant to do so.
Prof Mutharika commended Paramount Chief Mpezeni and President Lungu for inviting him to the Nc’wala ceremony, which he described as a uniting factor among the Ngonis in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.
He said the traditional ceremony helps to promotes cultural tourism as different people are exchanging culture values.
Prof Mutharika said most of Zambian languages are similar with those in Malawi hence the need for coexisting.
Chief Mpezeni, in a speech read for him by his induna George Zulu, commended President Lungu and Prof Mutharika for their support.
The paramount leader urged President Lungu to embrace the legacy of late President Sata who had a heart for Zambian people.
He said the Chinese working on the Vubwi-Chipata road and Chipata-Chadiza have slowed the works following the death of President Sata last year.
He commended Government for bringing development countrywide and urged Zambians to promote peace and unity.
Its becoming boring now…all the time tribal tribal. We are tired of this hurt if tribal remarks. Its better to just act than talk about all the time.
Keep hitting the the tribalism drum Michael Sata left, those who are bored with it, refer them to Rwanda Genocide.
tribalism is when a president doesn’t campaign in a certain province, that province doesn’t vote for him and he doesn’t include a person from that region in his cabinet. that is real tribalism.
How can someone who campaigned on wako ni wako now pretend to fight the very thing that gave him the presidency? Unfortunately Zambians can’t discern rhetoric. If he is serious about fighting regionalism lets see the same infrastructure developmentthat is in Easter and Northern Zambia being replicated in Western, Southern and North Western Provinces.
If HH doesn’t win next year, Tongas should not worry because Inonge Wina will become president soon and then Tongas can be part of government.
EDGAR SHOULD TELL THE NATION WHAT HIS PLANS ARE IN FIGHTING AND ROOTING OUT THE UGLY TRIBALISM AND REGIONALISM, AND SHOULD ACT NOW! HAVE YOUR OWN STRATEGY BEFORE YOU SEEK HELP FROM ELSEWHERE. BE ACTION ORIENTED EDGAR!
This drunkard thinks Zambians are so dull! He is busy promoting tribalism through his utterances and on one hand fooling people. He was talking about giving positions to people who completely rejected him. This I.diot expects everyone to like him? He still remembers those who never voted for him! Is that not tribalism? He is telling to forget about tribe but meanwhile when himself he cannot forget. He likes it or not, he is not the most popular president!
the best way to handle is the president speaking about the vice, all govt leaders, parastatal leaders, head masters, etc should start denouncing the vice. tribalism stinks. today if the leader is bemba he surrounds himself with fellow bembas and tribal cousins same with the easterners, the lozis and tongas are also another problematic grouping in this vice. Mr. president denounce the vice, hurt the vice and it will go.
the earlier the pipo realise that hh is tribalism and tribalism is hh the better. the very day hh will be wiped out of the political thats the day tribalism willend.
That’s a very very stup!d comment. When sata was performing his trbalism and then died with it, did it end? This lungiu of yours even excludes the southern prov from cabinet. So who is tribal? He is just guilty and he is now seeking to poison the country with his tribalism crusade. The bible says, whatsoever a man thinks, so he is. The tribal one here is Lungu HIMSELF. VOESAK!
People say what you like about being tribal and who is championing it, for me I take the simple illustration of point a finger but take note of how many are pointing back at you! Tribalism as in self conscience first reared its ugliness under FTJ though suppressed behind a mask, the carelessness of Ngande Mwanajiti and Syacheye Madyenkuku supported by Patrick Chisanga and Sikota Wina’s immediate actions amplifying the small mindedness of NM and SM provided an escape valve for distraction to what had already begun and heaped it on HH. Sata came on the scene and without shame became the Godfather of tribalism growth with hate targeted at regions that similarly could not endorse his leadership. ECL takes it up from there wearing a mask as if he wholeheartedly abhors regional-tribal isms.
Really boring. just walk the talk
Barlostland agreement is not valid anymore . Keep your lusaka and we keep our Livingston
Mr Lungu, your statements on tribalism & regionalism are welcome but you need to go a step further by practising what you preach. You missed the opportunity to invite your main opponent HH to this important Ngoni ceremony. That would have sent a strong message to all Zambians that you mean business
what if the devil worshipper did not want to attend?
Mwine Munzi, unfortunately there is no way of knowing whether your father, who is a devil worshiper, did not want to attend unless an invitation was extended to him.
If the Lwiindi traditional ceremony which comes up later in the year and where HH is patron fails to invite ECL…………. I leave the rest to your creative minds to contemplate on.
A sign that EC Lungu has run out of ideas.
Who told him that chiefs practice tribalism?. Concept of chieftain is based on the tribal identity that respects other tribes without any connections to modern politics. Politicians like Edgar Lungu are the ones that want in their governments to have more if not all in government belong to their own tribe. This is evidenced in past and current PF government.
Lungu appear to have insufficient knowledge about governance in Zambia that is slowly descending into violent nation. Lungu theats of use of power is feeding into violence perpetuated by Police failure to protect ALL citizens.
Chiefs have their own regions and tribes they control. It is the president to ensure equal distribution of wealth to all regions or tribes. Pf is the culprit of tribalism/regionalism. Soon Chipata will have a city status just the way late Sata wanted Kasama to be a city before leaving office. Zambian tribalism is political, there is no need of one being obsessed about it.
It was not safe for HH to attend n’ cwala ceremony with alot of these PF thugs. Even if he wanted to attend, how can he attend with such a hostile political environment. Leave HH alone.
There is no tribalism in villages. It is the PF promoting tribalism in cities, work place, markets and bus stations. Does this drunkard expect Chiefs to start going in schools or public places to condemn tribalism?
Ekwena some people hate HH. Mwati it’s just hatred or phobia for Tonga people. I think it’s an illness.
@mwine munzi your father is a devil worshiper.
No it is yours who is one
That is like asking the fox to guard the hen house. Chiefs, by their very mandate are guardians of tribe. Even by implication they promote tribe above all else. What we need is a grassroots move to ensure the urban drive and cultural interrelation (and I don’t even mean marriage here – just clean interaction) is enhanced and encouraged. I notice how cohesive the Zambians are in the diaspora at a chance meeting but how entrenched their tribalism becomes once they take root anywhere on the face of this earth.
forgive the drunkered he is not using his own ideas but borrowed from rb and others . chiefs dont practice tribalism but pf government., in the markets stations ,schools places of work and government offices as he rightly observed.
Yes my boss,tell them,esp chief mulolo
What inclusive cabinet. It has no one from the South and Central provinces.
ECL is a tribalist who ignored the South during campaign, accused them of note voting for him then excludes them like there is no one of substance there.
Not a president for all Zambians and Barotse
Tribalism is not the problem: the problem is bad governance!
Mr President, just construct good governance structures, systems and institutions, and rule of law and the side-effects of Tribalism will drastically reduce!
But, note that individualism,tribalism, regionalism, statemenship and nationalism (patriotism) are all virtues that are supposed to be embrassed! What is missing is good administration. Bad governance is the real problem and cause of underdevelopment in this Country – the rest are mere symptoms!
Do we need an Expatriat President and Cabinet Ministers, really?
Do not blame North-Western, Western, and Southern Provinces for Tribalism. These three go for merit!
Luapula, Northern, and ( now) Muchinga provinces have always been tribal – since pre-independence!
The tribal talk is actually the main campaign tool for Edgar Lungu for 2016. That is the only message he sees that can work against HH.
Exactly. RDA. Lungu has no other issues against HH except advancing and using the tribal card. He is now poisoning ‘WEAK’ minds with tribal verbatim so it can influence the next election. What a pathetic tokoloshe!
How can someone who campaigned on wako ni wako now pretend to fight the very thing that gave him the presidency? Unfortunately Zambians can’t discern rhetoric. If he is serious about fighting regionalism lets see the same infrastructure development that is in Easter and Northern Zambia being replicated in Western, Southern and North Western Provinces.
Solution of the current problem lies on retiring tribal HH from politics!!!this satan1st called HH has divided our country badly!!!he is a great denger to our country!!!GET RID OF HH FROM POLITICS AND THIS PROBLEM OF TRIBALISM WILL END!!!
No, the solution is to get rid of pipo like u eddy with poisoned and maggoty brains who r filled with hatred for one HH on tribal lines.
If Zambia is truly a Christian nation as decreed we are better off letting the Creator do the ridding as only Him knows better His creations.
Nonsense! Tribalism is a problem in Zambia thanks to UPND.
HH should attend where the President of the Republic of Zambia is guest of honour.
Anyway he’s not an MP or even a very notable politician except in his own person cult UPND.