Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern province has maintain his stance over his calls for government to live upto its promises.
In what is seen as an effort to have the outspoken Chief retract his statement recently where he was upset and told the government off over its unfulfilled promises in his chiefdom among others to work on the dams, Local Government and Rural Development Garry Nkombo visited him this week.
In an edited video circulated and published by the UPND, Chief Mpezeni says he could not repeat what he said. He told Nkombo and his entourage that people speak once.
Mr. Minister let us just work, I’m not opposition. I don’t work with the opposition,” Paramount Chief Mpezeni told Nkombo.
Sources within Government tell Zambian Eye the remarks by Paramount Chief Mpezeni in a video that went viral when Minister of Water and Sanitation Development Nzovu was not well received. They was a directive from the President that Chief Mpezeni must be engaged.
The UPND Government is so sensitive to criticism that whoever does so is seen as a member of the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) who President Hakainde Hichilema has vowed not to allow them to bounce back to government.