• Health Minister commends Paramount Chief Mpezeni for calling off this year’s Nc’wala ceremony.
• This is in line with guidance received from government and in light of the Covid-19.
• Government is grateful for the example set by his Royal Highness Paramount Chief Mpezeni.

Health Minister has commended Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni speaking people for calling off this year’s N’cwala ceremony in line with guidance received from government and in light of the Covid-19 and the threat posed to the public for attending the event.

According to a ministerial statement on the Covid-19 situation in Zambia, Dr. Jonas Chanda says government is grateful for the example set by his Royal Highness Paramount Chief Mpezeni.

Dr. Chanda has since supported calls by the Chief for other traditional leaders in the country to set a similar example in their respective chiefdoms.

“The safety and well-being of our people must come first; it is cardinal that the traditional leadership and the church take lead in sensitizing their subjects and members to obey Covid-19 public Health Guidelines,”

He added that the poor adherence to wearing face masks by the public especially crowded settings remains a source of concern.
Paramount Chief Mpezeni has rescinded his earlier decision of wanting to go ahead with the celebrations of N’cwala traditional ceremony on February 27 amidst COVID 19.
The traditional leader has since announced that N’cwala ceremony for this year will not be held as earlier announced, due to COVID 19 concerns.

Announcing the final cancellation of the Ngoni annual event that is held in Mtenguleni Village, Paramount Chief Mpezeni said the decision was arrived at following consultations with his chiefs and Government through the Ministry of Health (MOH).
The traditional ruler observed that COVID 19 has claimed a lot of lives in Zambia and as a result he has decided not to host the ceremony this year in order to safeguard the lives of the people.
“This leadership I have is for the people and without you my people then the leadership will be meaningless,” he said.
“This disease has killed a lot of people, and I have decided not to host the ceremony this year because I care about my people’s welfare and I don’t want to be blamed if ever there was any loss of lives as a result of COVID 19,” he said.
Paramount Chief Mpezeni was speaking at a briefing held at Mtenguleni, attended by area Member of Parliament Moses Mawere, Chipata City Council Mayor Sinoya Mwale, District Commissioner Kalunga Zulu, and seven of the eight Ngoni chiefs in the Eastern Province.
He further appealed to his subjects not to despair especially that they had already started preparations, saying the cancellation of this year’s event does not entail the end of N’cwala of the Ngoni culture.