By Sylvester Kumwenda

Dowa, March 28, Mana: Government on Thursday elevated three Group Village Heads (GVH) to Sub Traditional Authorities (Sub T/As) in Dowa, with a call for traditional leaders to be development conscious for their communities.

The three are GVHs Chipeni, Chidothi Mkhulu and Manondo Zikielo, who were elevated to Sub T/As at an event that took place at Dowa district council.

In an interview after elevating the chiefs, Deputy Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Joyce Chitsulo, asked the chiefs to support government's developmental agenda.

"People need development, and the chiefs are the conduit between people and government. So we need chiefs, Sub T/As, T/As to be championing issues of development in their respective areas in conjunction with government.

"But also, to work with government in fighting corruption at the local level, whether in the distribution of relief items, the Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) or Constituency Development Fund. We need leaders who can help their subjects access the required social services," she said.

She also tasked the Sub T/As to promote girl child education and fight issues of child marriages while lamenting that Dowa has a high number of girls dropping out of school.

Uncertainty, however, dawned before commencement of the event, as it was discovered that court orders were restraining the elevation of two of the chiefs, namely GHV Chidothi and Chipeni.

After consultations, the function proceeded with a resolution to only install GVH Manondo as a Sub T/A. However, as the function was coming close to an end, things took another twist when it was again later revealed that the injunctions had been stayed.

This paved the way for the installation of the two other chiefs.

The Deputy Minister said that as a law-abiding government, they made sure that they uphold the rule of law and stop the elevation of the two, and proceeded to elevate GHV Manondo only as there were no issues with that.

"But the good thing about it is that this injunction was not coming from concerned members of the Sub T/As clan, but other chiefs who felt it was supposed to be them to be elevated.

"So I am saying it was a good thing because as a ministry, we are struggling with issues of injunctions on chieftaincy, as there are a lot of misunderstandings as to who is going to be the next chief after the death of the one who was holding the office. But this case was different," she said.

Parliamentarian for Dowa South East, Halima Daudi said the chiefs will help to identify developmental projects needed in the area.

She asked the chiefs to put the interests of the people first.

In her remarks, Sub T/A Chidothi said she was excited to be elevated, and promised to focus on helping government bring development to her area.