Chief Kanyama of the Lunda people in Mwinilunga District of North-Western province has donated 122 by 25 Kilograms bags of mealie meal to inmates at Mwinilunga correctional facility.

Equally, the traditional ruler has donated the same commodity to patients at the District hospital and Sachibondu Clinic in Ikeleng’i District. 

Speaking when he handed over the bags of mealie meal, chief Kanyama said the donation has been made through the Chidika Chamvula Traditional ceremony organising committee from gift offerings received during the 2024 traditional ceremony. 

“As you know during the traditional ceremony people bring various foods in form of gifts offering to petition God for good rains, so for me I thought it would be right to share these gifts with the sick and those in prisons” he said. 

Chief Kanyama said the Chidika Chamvula Traditional ceremony organising committee decided to grind the maize offering into mealie meal for distribution to the needy as a gesture of good will. 

Out of the 122 bags, 40 have been distributed to Mwinilunga correctional facility, 62 bags to patients at Mwinilunga district hospital while 20 bags have been given to Sachibondu rural health centre. 

Chief Kanyama has since urged responsible officers at the correctional facility and the two healthy institutions to ensure that the mealie is used to feed the intended beneficiaries. 

And speaking during the handover of the mealie meal at the Mwinilunga correctional facility, both District commissioner Harrison Kamuna and Town council chairperson Jonathan Chinyimba commended Chief Kanyama for the gesture. 

Mr. Chinyimba said the gesture by chief Kanyama is an act of servant leadership and testimony that the traditional leader has the interest of his needy subjects at heart. 

And Mr. Kamuna said the donation is a demonstration of a healthy partnership that exists between the government and traditional leaders, chief Kanyama in particular. 

“There is no government that takes off in development and provision of needs to their people if there is no relationship with traditional leadership, we are very grateful, government is a partner with traditional leaders” he said. 

He called on other royal highnesses, individuals and organisations alike to emulate the gesture by Chief Kanyama and reach out to people in need with various forms of support.