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Citizens First Party leader, Harry Kalaba, has accused President Hakainde Hichilema of politicking over the allowances of Chiefs and their Retainers.
During the Kulamba traditional ceremony in Katete District, Eastern Province, President Hichilema announced that Chiefs and their retainers would receive increased allowances in the upcoming national budget.
Kalaba told Zambia Monitor in an interview that President Hichilema should show sincerity extending the planned increase in allowances for Chiefs and their retainers to also cover village headmen and councillors across the country.
The CF leader alleged that headmen and councillors were being sidelined despite playing a critical role in their respective communities.
He said in fulfilling his pledge to traditional leaders, the president he should not overlook village headmen, women leaders, and councillors.
Read More: President Hichilema pledges more empowerment for traditional leaders at Kulamba ceremony
“The move by the President that he will increase the allowances is obviously just politics. As usual, he will not even do it. And if he does, it will not be significant enough to allow Chiefs and their retainers to live a decent life because they are suffering,” Kalaba said.
He questioned why councillors receive neither a stipend nor gratuity, despite being the first point of contact for constituents before the Member of Parliament.
“These are some of the things we in Citizens First will tackle — councillors getting gratuity, village headmen getting a stipend,” he pledged.
Kalaba further vowed to address challenges in land administration, saying chiefs were often exploited in fraudulent land acquisitions.
He pledged to restore sanity and accountability in land governance if elected.
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