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Mpezeni Accepts Govt Apology
PARAMOUNT Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province says he has accepted Government’s apology over police’s cancellation of a meeting he was to address over a land settlement dispute between the Ngonis and the Chewas in Chipangali on Sunday.
And Paramount Chief Kalonga Gawa Undi of the Chewa people of Eastern Province has appealed to traditional leaders and other stakeholders who have little or no knowledge of the Chewa and Ngoni history to desist from making uninformed statements on the matter because it can be a breeding ground for hostility.
Paramount Chief Mpezeni has invited Government to visit his palace to formalise the apology.
And chief government spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili has promised to visit paramount chiefs Mpezeni and Gawa Undi over the weekend to physically apologise to them.
“I am physically going there over the weekend to pay a courtesy call on both Gawa Undi and Mpezeni,” Mr Kambwili said in an interview yesterday.
He said Government is grateful that the two traditional leaders have accepted the apology.
And Paramount Chief Mpezeni said in a telephone interview from his palace yesterday that: “Some people here want to de-campaign President Lungu by antagonising us, the traditional leaders. Let Government come in person and apologise.”
Paramount Chief Mpezeni said he has accepted Government’s apology but merely wants it formalised.
He wondered why Eastern Province permanent secretary Chanda Kasolo, who had earlier given him permission to address his subjects, later changed his mind.
“People here want to make President Lungu look bad. But I know that the President is well informed,” he said.
And Paramount Chief Mpezeni’s induna George Zulu said in a separate interview that the traditional leader has accepted Government’s apology.
Mr Zulu said Paramount Chief Mpezeni is happy that Government has apologised because he does not want to depart from the path of working with Government.
“I am happy with this honest apology by Government. This is dignifying but it is also an eye-opener that Government and the traditional leadership need to find a lasting solution to this problem so that the two people can continue to live in harmony as they have always done,” Paramount Chief Mpezeni said.
Paramount Chief Mpezeni wants to meet President Lungu and to brief him on the matter in case he was misinformed.
“We want to continue to co-exist. This problem does not need a political solution but an administrative one so that we can continue to live in harmony,” Paramount Chief Mpezeni said.
The traditional leader also urged Government to thoroughly investigate what transpired to establish the truth and tell President Lungu because some security wings have denied using force to disperse the people.
“I wish to appeal to our people in Chipangali to remain calm because this matter will be resolved amicably in the best interest of all,” Paramount Chief Mpezeni said.
On Wednesday, Mr Kambwili apologised to the paramount chief and the Ngoni people for the police action.
But Paramount Chief Gawa Undi, through his spokesperson James Chirwa, has said that: “If indeed the police stopped that meeting from taking place, we feel that was the right thing to do.”
This was said at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday.
Paramount Chief Gawa Undi said while he enjoys peaceful coexistence with all other neighbouring tribes, Paramount Chief Mpezeni should not go and install a councillor in Chipangali, a Chewa territory.
He said the action taken by the police should not have been a surprise because the provincial leadership had advised that the Ngoni meeting should not go ahead citing security reasons.
“I further call upon all the Chewa to remain calm and not take the law into their own hands,” he said.
Posted by
Kwa Muntonyo
June 19, 2015 at 9:40 am
Chikambwili you just want to go and make allowances. Patrick Mwanawasa can apologize on behalf of the Government. Why do you want to travel to Chipata ewe chi puffy daddy?
zakeyo
June 19, 2015 at 11:48 am
Where was Kambwili when Lungu was attacked by Pilato? He now just wants to show off. Let him tell off Nalubamba and Nkomeshya who want to pause as spokespersons for eastern province(We know they are UPND at heart!)
I trust neither Kambwili nor Mpezeni. Mpezeni is a spolt brat. He was spolt by Sata. Mwanawasa ignored his tantrums. RB was scared of the chief.Too late now to teach somebody who has bean chief for so long. Chewas,Ngonis Nsenga,Senga and Tumbukas have lived as umodzi kumawa for so long . No need for chameleon Kambwili to teach easterners any thing. Just enjoy your money big money. I wish edgar could send VP mother Inonge: for such assignments she is the wise and trust worthy one not chikambwili!
nakferd
June 19, 2015 at 10:21 am
This mpezeni man is not in his right senses,what kind of apology formalising does he want on a matter which he himself must apologise for unlawfuly conducting a meeting clandestine.he is broke and wants government to fund him.Look at Undi,the man of caliber,let Mpezeni take a leaf from his friend.
pele
June 19, 2015 at 4:54 pm
thaxs for the apology
cholwe
June 19, 2015 at 11:51 pm
Lungu one, nice that we have apologised to that old nothing mpezeni
Jeff
June 20, 2015 at 10:37 pm
With respect to land, is it true Gawa Undi is the original paramount when the Ngonis were still in South Africa and that they got part of his land?
Chaona
June 21, 2015 at 10:19 am
Never leave an enemy behind or else it will rise against you. The Ngonis got their land through battles just like the children of Israel.
While the children of Israel left Egypt for the promised land of Canaan, the Ngonis left Zululand heading toward a land which they had not seen, but by faith, which they called MAPUPO or DREAMLAND.
While the children crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, the Ngonis crossed the River Zambezi at Kazungula on 19th November 1835 during which time there was a miracle of the eclips of the sun.
As Ngonis, my brothers and sisters, we have a very rich history, most of the Ngoni tradition have an analog in the Hebrew culture.
Exodus 21:5-6. “And if the servant shall plainly say, I LOVE MY MASTER…..I WILL NOT GO OUT FREE Then his master shall bring him…unto the door post, and his master shall bore his ear…and he shall serve him forever”
In the above account we see how non Herews were incorporated into the Jews, thus exactly what the Ngonis were doing, making a big hole on the ears of servants/captured slaves for them to be proselytes Ngonis. Time and spce cannot allow me to say more than this but suffice to say that MPEZENI IS A KING AND HE HIMSELF BELIEVES THAT AND HE CANNOT APOLOGIZE.
Emily Oliver
June 21, 2015 at 11:39 am
i think we really need to relook at this issue of chieftancy and the modern democratic dispensation