Some villagers in Senior chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo’s area have vowed not to contribute money towards this year’s hosting of the Chakwela Mukambi traditional ceremony of the Soli people because the resources for last year’s event were not used.
The villagers said the money that was sourced last year was not used and they want the Nkomeshya’s Busoli Royal establishment to utilize the same resources instead of forcing the poor villagers to contribute more money.
Some villagers interviewed said the traditional ceremony was not hosted last year because of bereavements in the royal family and the financial resources that were donated had not been used.
“We are not ready to contribute money again this year because the money that we put together last year was not used. we want this money to be used for the organization of the this year’s Chakwela Makumbi.
We love our traditional ceremony and we want to support the Royal Establishment for a very good and successful organization,” said one of the villagers James Mwankotamib from Zone two.
Mwankotami said there had to be transparency and accountability in the way public resources within the chiefdom because money was hard to find under the Patriotic Front (PF) government.
He said the majority of the people in Nkomeshya’s area were poor people who were surviving below the poverty datum line and it would be excruciating to squeeze the few available resources.
Another villager said the Chakwela Makumbi organizing committee must ensure that it accounted for the all the money that the villagers contribute towards the hosting of the event.
He said the cost of living had escalated and access to money was rare nowadays adding that every amount of money that was donated must be accounted for and used prudently.
“We know it is a requirement for everyone to contribute to causes that concern the community. However, we want to put it on record that we are not willing to contribute for a programme that we had already contributed to and the money was not used,” he said.
And some villagers in the chiefdom have said it is wrong for Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya to openly support the PF.
The villagers said the community under Nkomeshya was comprised of different people with various political and other views, which required the chieftainess to remain neutral in her political affialiation.
“It is hard to say anything against the PF because our mother is in support of the ruling party. It is like everything has to be in line with the PF, which is wrong because there are a lot of other people who are not in agreement with the PF,” he said.
Not long ago, Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya openly supported the ruling PF where she was so attached to the ruling party, but in Zambia, traditional leaders are expected to remain neutral and maintain the dignity of the status.
Nkomeshya is a close ally of Chongwe Member of Parliament Sylvia Masebo and Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba and she has openly declared that she was a PF. She wants all her subjects to support the ruling party.
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