PRESIDENT RUPIAH BANDA HAS DIRECTED THE SECRETARY TO THE CABINET TO CONSTITUTE A TEAM OF SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO STUDY THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE BAROTSE NATIONAL COUNCIL SO THAT IN DUE COURSE, GOVERNMENT CAN ADEQUATELY RESPOND TO THE RESOLUTIONS.
PRESIDENT BANDA SAYS HIS DIRECTIVE FOLLOWS THE MEETING HE HAD WITH THE BAROTSE NATIONAL COUNCIL ADDING THAT HE EXPECTS THE TEAM TO CONCLUDE ITS WORK IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
HE HAS STATED THAT GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGES THE PLEAS FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE FROM THE PEOPLE OF WESTERN PROVINCE WHICH HE SAID NEEDS ATTENTION
PRESIDENT BANDA SAYS IT IS HIS EXPECTATION THAT GOVERNMENT WILL BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A PRACTICAL ROADMAP ON HOW TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THE BAROTSE NATIONAL COUNCIL DURING THE MEETING HE HAD WITH THEM.
HE SAYS HIS GOVERNMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN READY TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER REPRESENTATIONS ON ALL ISSUES OF NATIONAL CONCERN, INCLUDING THE ISSUE OF THE BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT
PRESIDENT BANDA HAS APPEALED TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF WESTERN PROVINCE TO GIVE HIS GOVERNMENT A CHANCE TO RESOLVE WHAT HE HAS CALLED AS A COMPLEX MATTER.
HE SAYS DIALOGUE WITH THE BAROTSE ROYAL ESTABLISHMENT HAS CONTINUED EVEN AFTER THE PRESENTATION OF THE RESOLUTIONS FOR PURPOSES OF SEEKING CLARITY ON VARIOUS ISSUES SO THAT THIS MATTER IS CONCLUDED IN A MANNER THAT IS REALISTIC AND SATISFACTORY TO ALL CONCERNED PARTIES.
MR. BANDA NOTED THAT HE WAS PLEASED THAT AFTER ENGAGING IN A MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE ON THE 10TH OF FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, HE RECEIVED A DELEGATION FROM HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE LITUNGA LED BY SENIOR CHIEF INYAMBO YETA.
HE SAYS THE DELEGATION PRESENTED TO HIM RESOLUTIONS OF THE BAROTSE NATIONAL COUNCIL WHICH MET IN MONGU IN JANUARY TO SPECIFICALLY DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF THE RESTORATION OF THE BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT INCLUDING OTHER RELATED MATTERS.
PRESIDENT BANDA, HOWEVER, NOTED THAT THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE BAROTSE NATIONAL COUNCIL ARE VERY DETAILED AND COMPREHENSIVE ADDING THAT THEY RAISE A NUMBER OF FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGES THAT AFFECT THE PEOPLE OF WESTERN PROVINCE.
MR. BANDA FURTHER COMMENDED THE BAROTSE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR EMPHASISING THE FACT THAT IT IS NOT SECESSION FROM THE REST OF ZAMBIA WHICH IS BEING ADVOCATED.
HE SAYS THIS CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THE BAROTSE ROYAL ESTABLISHMENT AND THE BAROTSE NATIONAL COUNCIL ARE IN FAVOUR OF A UNITARY STATE OF THE COUNTRY.
FURTHER PRESIDENT BANDA SAYS, IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT INSPITE OF WHAT TRANSPIRED EARLY THIS YEAR, SOME POLITICIANS HAVE CONTINUED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE AND TRIED TO HOODWINK THE PEOPLE OF WESTERN PROVINCE INTO BELIEVING THAT THIS MATTER OF THE RESTORATION OF THE BAROTSE AGREEMENT OF 1964 CAN BE RESOLVED OVERNIGHT.
THIS IS ACCORDING TO A PRESS STATEMENT MADE AVAILABLE YESTERDAY BY SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR PRESS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DICKSON JERE
published by augustine
No comments:
Post a Comment