Absentee leaders irk induna Phiri

Absentee leaders irk induna Phiri

By Richard Luo in Sinda

A TRADITIONAL leader in Sinda District of Eastern Province has bemoaned the habit by political leaders of abandoning the electorate once voted into power.

Chieftainess Nyanje’s induna Patrick Phiri told the UPND official that his area lag behind in development because of negligence.

Phiri was speaking when a United Party for National Development (UPND) member Dr Eric Mwale held a development meeting with 30 village headmen from Chikalawa area.

He recalled that all the previous leaders like members of Parliament had been giving them hope of better tomorrow but once ushered into office they went for good.

“We are happy that you from the ruling party have visited us. Here we are orphans just like you see us. We have been dreaming to have this area developed. We have prayed to see manna but all in vain. We are what we are without any change. We keep on suffering,” Phiri said.

The traditional leader said people in the chiefdom only heard of development taking place in other areas but there was nothing they can point as a major development in their area.

“We took part to form government by voting for the President. We took part to choose our area member of Parliament, but we still remain undeveloped. We have no electricity. The road you have used is still that which was last worked on during the MMD government. We need to feel that we are also considered citizens,” Phiri said.