Local leaders call for chiefs Act ammendment

A group of citizens from Machinga district under the banner Friends of Machinga has urged authorities to implement guidelines that should be followed by local leaders when they want to dismiss other leaders in their areas.

The plea was made during re-installation of group village headman Suman in the area of Traditional Authority Mposa in Machinga who was dismissed from power 20 years ago for reasons which remain unknown.

Speaking during the re-installation ceremony, Friends of Machinga Chairperson Dr. Winesi Sinoya said “lack of guidelines has created a room for some local leaders to abuse their offices.”

Winesi commended the current Traditional Authority Mposa for re-considering and re-installing Group Village Headman Suman saying it will help to resolve conflicts that arise due to lack of chieftainship in the area.

On his part, Traditional Authority Mposa said “time has come for government to put much emphasis on Chieftainship by civic educating local leaders their roles saying nowadays chiefs are no longer regarded as meaningful.”

He however expressed the need to review the chiefs act of 1967 which among others will enable local leaders to be trained on how to run their daily duties.

For over 20 years in the area of Traditional Authority Mposa there have been a number of Chieftaincy wrangles which saw different communities protesting against the dismissal of Group Village Headman Suman.