By Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, October 15, Mana: District Commissioner for Nkhata Bay, Rodgers Newa has advised chiefs in the district to ensure that chiefs’ houses which are being built by government are located a neutral piece’s land for easy transition of the same to their successors.

Speaking on Monday during a full council meeting, Newa stated that the houses currently being built by the government through the Ministry of Local Government, Unity, and Culture are intended for chieftaincies, not for individual usage.

"Previously, some houses were not built at the headquarters of particular chieftaincies but at a particular home of the one on the chieftaincy position hence resulting in personalization of such houses, yet in actual sense the houses were for the chieftaincy.

“Let me emphasize that the policy of government is that the house belongs to a chief’s jurisdiction to the extent that when one ceases to be a chief in that area, the succeeding chief should occupy it. These government houses hence should be built on neutral land preferably at the chieftaincy headquarters," Newa said.

According to Newa, fours houses at the tune of MK341 million are being built for senior chiefs Timbiri, Mkumbira, Fukamapiri and Traditional Authority M’bwana and are all at roofing stage.

He therefore assured the remaining chiefs that government will soon embark on another house construction phase targeting a good number of chiefs until all chiefs are covered.

Senior Chiefs Fukamapiri commended government for the initiative which he said would contribute toward chiefs’ welfare.