NA vetoes increase in Govt benefits for traditional leaders

THE National Assembly has rejected a motion by the DTA to adjust the payment and benefits traditional leaders receive from Government.

The DTA’s Phillemon Moongo, who brought the motion to the House, told MPs last week that differences in customs and norms between the various traditional authorities should not become a basis on whether or not to downgrade their work. Moongo said kings and headmen with inadequate allowances could not be expected to “protect” the country.”It makes a mockery of the dignity of traditional leaders and disrespects the blood of our forefathers, who fought for the liberation of our country,” said Moongo.He said unlike politicians who had been paid well over the years, kings and headmen had been “sacrificing for years”.”In the past they benefited from their community who brought them cattle and they were highly respected.[Now] people visit traditional leaders with bare hands and expect the headman to offer them meat and food,” said Moongo, himself a traditional leader.Moongo said it was necessary for Government to “subsidise” traditional leaders to maintain their families and administer their affairs, as well as provide financial support to traditional courts.He maintained that if the remuneration of traditional leaders was improved it would bolster their efforts to eradicate crime.In a last desperate attempt to garner support for his motion, Moongo asked that the matter be referred to a standing committee to obtain first-hand information on the administrative and other problems hampering the work of traditional authorities.Moongo said kings and headmen with inadequate allowances could not be expected to “protect” the country.”It makes a mockery of the dignity of traditional leaders and disrespects the blood of our forefathers, who fought for the liberation of our country,” said Moongo.He said unlike politicians who had been paid well over the years, kings and headmen had been “sacrificing for years”.”In the past they benefited from their community who brought them cattle and they were highly respected.[Now] people visit traditional leaders with bare hands and expect the headman to offer them meat and food,” said Moongo, himself a traditional leader.Moongo said it was necessary for Government to “subsidise” traditional leaders to maintain their families and administer their affairs, as well as provide financial support to traditional courts.He maintained that if the remuneration of traditional leaders was improved it would bolster their efforts to eradicate crime.In a last desperate attempt to garner support for his motion, Moongo asked that the matter be referred to a standing committee to obtain first-hand information on the administrative and other problems hampering the work of traditional authorities.