MINISTRY of Local Government and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Nicholas Phiri has refuted reports that there have been illegal chiefs on the government subsidy payroll for traditional leaders. Recently, SACCORD Executive Director Arthur Muyunda alleged during a media briefing that the ministry in question was paying subsidies to individuals masquerading as chiefs. “[The] civil society organisation has requested the Secretary to the Treasury to intervene in a matter where the local government has been paying individuals masquerading as Chiefs, with their illegal retainers. The issue of chiefs has been resolved by the introduction of the 1958 chiefs’ map. The PF, while in power through the minister of chiefs and housing, presented a ministerial statement in parliament to the effect that...