By 
Zambia’s Bemba Royal Establishment has reaffirmed its policy of working with the government of the day regardless of political affiliation, in an apparent clarification of its earlier comments on the country’s 2026 election.
The clarification came in a statement issued after a meeting of the Icilye ce Lamfya, or royal council, held at the Chitimukulu Palace in Mungwi District on Friday.
The Bemba Royal Establishment (BRE) said its policy was to work with whichever government was in power without aligning itself with a particular political party, whether in government or in opposition.
“The Bemba Royal Establishment’s policy is to work with the government of the day without aligning itself with one political party (be it the one in government or the ones in opposition),” Secretary to the Chitimukulu Richard Mukuka said in the statement.
The latest position follows an earlier BRE statement which alluded to the country’s “prevailing mood”, as reason for cancellation of its renowned traditional festival.
Read more: chitimukulu-cancels-ukusefya-pa-ngwena-bemba-traditional-ceremony-cites-prevailing-mood
In its latest statement, the kingdom instead emphasised its institutional neutrality while congratulating President Hakainde Hichilema on his re-election and swearing-in for a second term, as well as elected and re-elected members of parliament, mayors, council chairpersons and councillors across the country.
Hichilema was sworn in for a second five-year term on September 1 after winning the presidential election.
The BRE also called on the government to use its new mandate to accelerate development in the Bemba-speaking region, known as Ulubemba, highlighting poor roads, health and education infrastructure and inadequate local power generation.
It urged the government to “fix the deplorable roads, improve the limping health and education institutions, invest in local power generation, and build peace.”
The statement also called for reflection on the electoral process and urged Zambians to pray for the country, citing Zambia’s history as a multiparty democracy and its constitutional designation as a Christian nation.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
Comments