Fri, 22 Dec 2017 11:04:50 +0000
By Charles Musonda
THE House of Chiefs has rejected the newly announced chiefdoms’ boundary map by the Ministry of Lands, on grounds that it was not a true reflection of facts on the ground.
In an interview in Lusaka, House of Chiefs, Chief Whip, Chief Chipepo said the traditional rulers had not met to approve the map nor had the Surveyor General done a physical study before making the announcement.
“We had not met at House of Chiefs level and the Surveyor General did not physically go chiefdom by chiefdom, province by province, or district by district to find visible chiefdom boundary maps. The 1958 map is not a true picture because in some cases some chiefs had encroached other chiefdoms.
“That map was rejected in 1964 and we had suggested that the surveyor general should, together with the Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs, and the Minister of Local Government, go flat out and find ways of putting things right,” Chief Chipepo said.
He added: “They must meet the people who know where they belong and ensure that they tell them where the boundaries end. If that is not done the land disputes will not end because you cannot say that the 1958 map is a true reflection of what is on the ground. They even resurrected the chiefdoms that were done away with during the Welensky time. It is not true that the Surveyor General and his team have everything in place.”
He said anyone dealing with chiefs or chiefdoms must always consult the House of Chiefs because it is a constitutional institution.
“Please consult the House of Chiefs and come up with modalities because it is a constitutional house. Even when you go to the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs, still you have to come to the House of Chiefs.
“Just like you cannot bypass parliament if you want to change any law. Even now if you have anything to do with the chiefs you cannot ignore the House of Chiefs. Let that thing be debated, let a motion be moved in the House of Chiefs or any other constitutional house.
He added: “After any debate we have we report to the President. We are a rightful institution and the 1958 map is not a true reflection. The surveyor general has not done anything because there is no chiefdom that he has gone to. The statement from the ministry of lands was premature and it should be withdrawn. Don’t deceive people otherwise there will be more problems.”
