President Lungu urged to lobby for a permanent seat in AU

Traditional leaders in Africa have asked President Edgar Lungu to lobby for a permanent seat for them in the African Union ((AU) ahead of the summit next year.

The Chiefs in Africa want a permanent seat for traditional and cultural leaders to work together with national government on the transformation of African cultures and customary issues affecting the continent.

The traditional leaders are hoping that if they are given a seat in the AU, they could work together with governments as well as AU to dialogue on the preservation and transformation of African cultures and on developmental issues and customary issues that affect African governments.

Chief Chikanta who led a delegation of chiefs to state house said the traditional leaders are lobbying for a seat through President Lungu who is AU champion in the fight to end child marriages on the continent of Africa.

Chief Chikanta led a delegation of chiefs to state house to meet President Lungu to brief him of the outcomes of the consultations and dialogue meetings they held with traditional leaders and cultural institutions on ending child marriages and female genital mutilation in African held in Malawi and Nigeria.

And President Lungu says he will take into account the proposals of the traditional leaders as he goes for to the AU summit in January next year.

The President says there is need to do more as a continent in the fight to end child marriages, but noted that Zambia has made stride hence the country leading the fight.

The Head of state says most of the bad cultural practices in Zambia have since been discarded except for male circumcision which he also doubted if it was being done in the traditional circles.

He said he will engage stakeholders and partners on the hosting of the chiefs’ national indaba to see if they can help with logistical support because the proposed event has not been budgeted for in the 2019 national budget.

The chiefs’ entourage consisted of Chief Chikwanda of Muchinga Province, Chief Chikanta of Central Province, Chief Madzimawe of Eastern Province and Chieftainess Muwezwa of Northwestern Province.