ZAMBIA: Hungry Luapula chiefs still mourning Lungu's downfall

By: Ollus Ndomu

Several chiefs in Zambia’s poorest province are still mourning the fall of former Republican President Edgar Lungu saying they miss him dearly.

Speaking last week at a grassroot meeting organized by the ever shrinking former ruling Patriotic Front -PF-, traditional leaders said Lungu’s leadership qualities and care for chiefs was unparalleled.

Lungu is missed but only by chiefs whom he favoured through handouts and his tribally inclined trivia visits which he used to politicize traditional leadership for his political expediency.

In other related news, paramount chief of the Bemba people, Chitimukulu has continued to urge his subjects to align with the new Hakainde Hichilema led government saying the Northern circuit cannot development if it remains in opposition.

The Chief urged local government leaders within his sphere of influence to distinguish politics from development.

He was speaking at his palace in Kasama when a choir of PF councilors paid him a visit last week on Wednesday.

Chitimukulu together with other chiefs across the Northern circuit including Northern, Muchinga and Luapula provinces, had publicly endorsed the candidature of Lungu and vowed never to entertain opposition activities, particularly those of then main opposition leader Hichilema.