Bbilili headmen become ‘irrelevant’

—Some village headmen in Bbilili area of chief Siachitemas’ area of Kalomo district say they no longer perform their traditional duties diligently as they fear being lynched by unsuspecting people who are reported to be terrorising the rural skirts of late.

This came to light in Bbilili area over the weekend when Kalomo District Commissioner, Lucia Mwiinde, met several headmen at Muyuni Seventh Day Adventist church during a building promotion service in chief Siachitema’s area.

The village headmen, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, appealed through the District Commissioner to establish a police post in the area, saying suspecting notorious people have continued to intimidate traditional rulers who want to bring sanity in the area.

The headmen said murder cases have rocked chiefs Chikanta and Siachitema areas and called on the law enforcement officers to double their efforts to curb the crime.

The headmen added that the local neighbourhood watch were becoming toothless in the areas as they were most known by the locals or have become companions.

Last month, a village headman and his wife were brutally murdered after their house was set ablaze before they were shot at and axed to death with some suspects still believed to be on the run while Police are holding some suspects to help with investigations over the matter.

And the headmen have called for the revival of the village headmen’s association so that the traditional leaders can share views on how best they can run the welfare of people in their localities.

They claimed that the initiative was hatched in the previous MMD regime but has since died a natural death and called on the PF government to resuscitate the idea.