Former minister of local government and rural development Kondwani Nankhumwa elevated five chiefs in Balaka where he dismissed claims that the installation is part of campaign.
His excellency the state president professor Arthur Peter Mutharika through powers vested in him promoted sub-traditional authority Chamthunya to the rank of traditional authority and group village heads Mpilisi, Kapalamula, Phimbi and Nyanyala to the rank of sub-traditional authorities.
In his remarks during the elevation ceremony on Saturday, Nankhumwa dismissed allegations that promotion of chiefs a few days to the tripartite elections is because of campaign or politics.
“As you aware, some promotions dates from way back only that we just waited for a right time to have the installation ceremony.There’s nothing sinister here,” he stressed.
The minister said that chiefs are pivotal in various areas of development of the country.
“Chiefs play a very important role in as far as the development of the country is concerned. They are a hub for development of any society because they live with the citizenry in their respective communities such that they have first hand information on problems people faces in the areas,” he explained.
Nankhumwa called on all traditional leaders to work with the government of the day for their areas to witness development.
He urged the elevated chiefs to be tolerant and refrain from taking chieftancy wrangles to courts but rather resort to contact and dialogue if there are misunderstandings.
Speaking at the same ceremony, paramount chief Gomani V appealed to the promoted chiefs to safeguard peace, harmony and togetherness among their subordinates and encourage them to inculcate a hardworking spirit in-order to attain socio-economic development.
“Chiefs are the eyes and ears of government. Therefore, I advise you to encourage your people to engage themselves in various economic activities. Make them work hard on their farms and tell them to follow birth control measures, ” the chief appealed.
Echoing Gomani’s sentiments was paramount chief Kawinga who encouraged the chiefs to advocate for peaceful co-existence among various cultural groupings.
The elevated chiefs are coming from Ngoni, Mang’anja and chewa tribes.
