By Amb Emmanuel Mwamba

Hichilema to Make Chief Mukuni, King

..currently, the ranking is as follows;Paramount Chiefs, Senior Chiefs, Chiefs, and Sub-Chiefs….

Active plans are underway to make Chief Mukuni, the current Chief Munokalya Mupotola IV Siloka III Mukuni, the 19th Chief of the Leya people, as the most senior Chief in Zambia.

Chief Mukuni will be enthroned with a new title of His Majesty the King, according to the plans seen by this writer.

Diplomatic sources familiar with the process confirmed that invitations are being sent for a lavish and spectacular enthronenent and royal pageantry ceremony that will be held in July 2025.

Government wants International royal guests from United Kingdom, Morocco, Swaziland and Ghana, among others to attend the ceremony.

Mukuni, under the Zambian law is a mere junior chief as the original and historical owner of the throne is the Queen, who was conquered and subdued.

Further, Mukuni is a junior chief as he is an emisary of Senior Chief Mukuni Ng’ombe, also known as Chief Chipepo, who is the head of the Lenje people, also known as Bene Mukuni, an ethnic group primarily residing in Central Province, but also found in Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces.

President Hakainde Hichilema is expected to amend the law to provide for the new ranking of Mukuni as a reward for his steadfast support during the turbulent times Hichilema spent in Opposition.

The Chiefs Act (Chapter 287 of the Laws of Zambia) is the law that governs the recognition and ranking of Zambian chiefs, including Paramount Chiefs, Senior Chiefs, Chiefs, and Sub-Chiefs.

The Chiefs Act outlines the process for recognizing individuals as chiefs, including specifying the offices they hold (e.g., Paramount Chief, Senior Chief, Chief, Sub-Chief).

The Act also acknowledges those previously recognized as chiefs under the Native Authority Act (Chapter 157 of the 1965 Edition of the Laws), deeming them to have equivalent recognition under the Chiefs Act.

Mukuni is a business partner to President Hichilema and Mukuni have been directors of the board of Sun International Zambia.

According to PACRA,

Sun International Zambia has five (5) Directors.

(a) Richard Caesar – South African citizen
(b) Ramakhathela David – South African citizen
(c) Joanne Elizabeth – Canadian citizen
(d) Hakainde Hichilema S – Zambian citizen
(c) Munokaya Siloka III Mukuni XIX – Zambian citizen.

Further, Mukuni’s nephews and nieces have been appointed and are occupying senior positions in Government.

More details coming as story unfolds.