SOUTHERN Province chiefs have praised President Edgar Lungu for demonstrating his commitment to unite the country through equal representation following the appointment of Greyford Monde as Fisheries and Livestock Minister.
The traditional leaders have assured Mr Lungu of their support to ensure that he succeeded in his development efforts.
Mr Lungu appointed Mr Monde to the full cabinet role as Fisheries and Livestock Minister.
The UPND lawmaker was until his appointment Agriculture and Livestock Deputy Minister before the ministry was split into two.
Chief Mukobela of the Ila people in Namwala district, said the appointment of Mr Monde was crucial in boosting livestock production in the country because he was well conversant with animals.
The Ila people are heavily dependent on livestock and fishing as well as agriculture and the appointment of Mr Monde who hails from the region comes with great hope and expectations.
“We are very happy that our own child has been appointed Minister, and I would like to thank the President for this gesture and assure him that we will pray for him that he succeeds.
“This has demonstrated that President Lungu is inclusive and would like to see equal representation and equal share of national resources so that every Zambian is happy,” he said.
Chief Mukobela appealed to Mr Monde to prioritise the fishing regulation following unprecedented dwindling of fish stocks in rivers because of the poor fishing method by fishermen.
Chief Chipepo, of Gwembe District, said Mr Lungu had made a wise decision to split the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock because livestock and fisheries needed a special focus in order to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.
He also commended Mr Lungu for appointing Vice President Inonge Wina as National Planning Minister saying national planning activities should be done at a higher level of government.
The traditional leader noted that Mr Monde was a qualified and competent person who understood the challenges in both fisheries and livestock development.
“I want to congratulate the President because he is doing a great job; this is a wise decision and I’m sure the livestock industry will contribute to our economy significantly with a ministry of its own.
“You may wish to know that the livestock industry is sustainable than other industries like mines and some countries like Botswana have done well, so we will support the new Minister and President Lungu for this gesture,” he said.
Chief Chikanta, of Kalomo District, said the appointment of Mr Monde was another demonstration of equal representation which should supported by every Zambian.
The Chief said the people in the area had been crying for effective representation at cabinet level and the appointment the Itezhi-tezhi lawmaker had come as a great relief.
How much did each of these chiefs get for Lungu’s window dressing? He has appointed one of your children who understands livestock yet the appointing authority has not openly reconciled with you on insults and derogatory remarks for being livestock rearers!
This is the problem with our friends in Southern Province, principles are principles, especially political ones and should be respected and not be amorphous. Elevation of Moonde to full cabinet minister is nothing if government as a whole is failing in all areas be it economy, political and even socially this government is disrespected by most people. It doesn’t matter who is there from what province. It is things like solwezi chingola road, exchange rate, lack of jobs for young zambians, job losses etc that affect people generally that are important plus other rural zambia roads and other challenges. Does this mean Poverty will spare some People in Southern province because Moonde is full cabinet minister? ???
Just to set the record straight. Greyfold is from Western Province.
Monde is from Western and the chap will be humiliated come next years election. The reporter must be drunk of Jameson
This is bullsh!t. Greyford’s constituency is in central province, why did you LT go to seek comments from SP. Just goes to show how divisive you hypocrites are.
Exactly my thoughts. Was Itezhi Tezhi not moved to Central Province by the sata regime? So what are these Southern province chiefs trying to out do themselves in praising president Lungu for? Truth is Southern Province chiefs have no inluence on their “subjects’ so the status quo remains as far as the voting pattern is concerned. Infact Monde will be at sea after the 2016 elections.
Let me make a confession without any B-esing. I did not read this entire article. I only read the part that said, “Southern Province Chiefs Happy with Lungu” and immediately I knew I could just second-guess the rest of story without having to read it. To save time. This article is all about some traditional chiefs who are brown-nosing all the way up in ka Lungu’s áss, isn’t it? I bet!
first and foremost Monde is from Western province. and his constituency is in Central province. Lusaka times should have interviewed chiefs from Central/Western province if the theme of the article is regional and tribal representation
Yes the name Monde may come from Western Province but are you sure Monde the person is from Western Province? One Zambia One Nation. And you bet the Chief is less knowledgeable than you about where Monde comes from?
Fine, in my view, genuine equal representation can only be attained when those appointed are from his party, elected or nominated. Why can’t he nominate Tongas and other tribes lowly represented, if balancing is what he wants to achieve? Does it meant that SP, for example, does not have any capable people, outside of the UPND MPs??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
This chief should be a very confused man how can he say Mr Monde is very quilified when the ka chap is just a form five drop out can we develop as country with this behaviour?
no, you can’t develop with an attitude like yours, people have done wonders regardless of their educational background, mind you, there are degrees in choreography, and even demonology, and im not in anyway demeaning the two, when you are educated in a particular field, you now know much about the particular subject to make you an expert in that one field and that does not automatically mean you are qualified to run the affairs of a country, leadership on the other hand is a totally different story, even when children are playing you would identify a leader naturally.
IF IT IS PF, IT IS LIES! THERE IS NOTHING THAT THIS YOUNG MAN WILL DO. THIS IS EVEN A CORRUPT APPOINTMENT. LUNGU WANTS ANIMALS AND LAND IN ILA LAND. IT’S ALL CORRUPTION WITH LUNGU.
Iwe ***, what will hh do in short run to sort out externally induced problems such as falling commodity prices and strengthening of the us dollar. Where will hh sell copper by opening more mines. Let this sink in your balls and head that hh will not win on the basis of economy but on telling the truth and accepting to be led by the current president. Bitterness and cheating that he has solutions withoit explaining how and sequencing of immediate, medium or long term. Value addition and diversification are not measures that will see economy grow at short to medium run. Edgar is not blame for this mess. We who make presidents know that hh will not win. it is 5 to zero again in 2016
If is from western so what, you southerners politicians ,you are very bitter . Not all but politicians if I say all then iam including my wife because is from there.
The fact is HH is the majority shareholder of Zambezi sun formerly Intercontinental Livingstone Hotel. it was sold for a song to the third bidder! higher bids were rejected on HHs ‘advice’ and self interest opinions. HH used his dubious business minions to acquire state owned properties at ridicuoulsy low prices without declaring interest in the sale. He has on several occasions lamentably failed to accurately answer questions as to how he acquired his wealth. It is stinking dirty money not worth to admire. Come 2016 we shall expose further the rot the makes this Chief Tribalist HH, to finish him politically once for all. Most Zambians are Not too dull to reason logically!
Don’t tell lies. Zambezi Sun Hotel was never Intercontinental Livingstone Hotel. Your envy of HH will not take you anywhere. Do you think HH would have been spared by tribalists like Sata if he did what you claim he did? If you have evidence give it to your tribesmen in government so that they can use it to prosecute HH. Otherwise remove that broken record from the deck.
Comment:……privatisation broken record will not work this time……let the go’vt take HH to court!! We need this satanist, kachema, tribalist and the one who sold the companies badly…your righteous ECl has failed and from the look of things he has no vision of redeeming us. For your own information if God allows HH to president your bitterness will not take you anywhere. If HH is destined to president will be come 2016.
Can’t really understand your comment, someone break it down for me.
My questions are, who interviewed these chiefs? How come only chiefs from southern province where interviewed? Is Monde a minister in southern province only or the whole Zambia? This is not right at all when you’re talking about uniting the country. This is tribalism reporting, Zambia is bigger than southern province what did other chiefs who are from other provinces say. You’re quick to label southerners tribalist what does this kind of reporting say about you journalists?
Ba LT why did you sensor “tribalists”.