Chief Ronnie Rehoka from Waisisi in West Are Are has called on the government to recognize the role of chief in the villages.
He made call when he attend the Community Governance and Grievance Management workshop held at Kiu village in West Are Are recently.
Chief Rehoka said chiefs are all along being neglected for the imperative governance role they play within the community.
He said it not just happened today. It’s an issue that has been neglected since the birth of this country.
Rehoka said since the inception of this modern governance system, the traditional governance system which headed by chiefs in various ethnic societies in the country lost its identification.
“In fact, this is the system which governed the people in this country centuries before we colonized and later became independence.
“And the system still exists today for the very fact that it absorbs our cultures and traditions and will still continue to live with us as long as we exist.
“This is the system of governance that belongs to us and it should not substitute for adopted system of governance,” he said.
Rehoka said the traditional chiefs are the ones headed this governing system within the societies in the country.
However, he said the role of chief is not recognize despite the tremendous role they continue to carry-out within the communities.
Rehoka said chiefs see it important a chain of leadership should incorporate into this current system of governance to recognise chiefs as the ones on the ground with people.
He said due to non-recognition of their work even the society now turn to have no confidence, respect and value with the leadership role they mandated.
Rehoka said this is an area of great concern for chiefs in the country and government must do something tangible about.
He said in regards to development in the country, government cannot work without chiefs for they are the entry points to resource owners.
“We live all our life with resource owners and with the traditional system in place we can work with people to pave way for development using the resources,” Rehoka said.
He said chiefs felt they are also important leadership component in the country and they must recognise for their work.
