Chief Kyungu of Karonga has cautioned political parties in the country against imposing leaders on people, saying the outcome of such tendencies were the reasons why independent candidates turned out victorious in elections.
Kyungu made the statement at Mzuzu State Lodge when he spoke on behalf of other chiefs when they had audience with State President Joyce Banda on Saturday.
In an apparent reference to the just concluded by-elections in Mzimba Central and Mzimba South West Constituencies, the chief advised political parties to stop imposing leaders on people, saying the people needed to have leaders of their choice.
Chief Kyungu: Don’t impose candidates
“This is why we see independent candidates winning in elections,” observed the chief while congratulating State President Joyce Banda and her People’s Party (PP) for winning the by-election in Mzimba South West Constituency.
During PP’s primary elections in Mzimba Central Constituency, Joseph Mavuto Kachali claimed the primaries were rigged in favour of Aram Beza which forced him to stand as an independent candidate. Kachali won the by-election while Beza who was PP’s candidate came second.
The paramount chief then advised fellow chiefs in the region not to concentrate on politics but rather focus on working with the current government which, he said, needed the support of chiefs to ably develop this country.
“Let us support the government of the day, and that is PP Government,” he advised.
On her part, President Joyce Banda told the 39 traditional leaders who had turned up for the audience that she would need their full support to develop the country which she said was going through some economic hiccups on its way to recovery.