PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader, Michael Sata has said if elected, his government will recognise the Barotse Agreement and will reinstate several chieftainships abolished by first Republican president Kenneth Kaunda's administration.

And Mr Sata has said that he would ensure that his government evenly distributes national wealth throughout the country and address imbalances in development.

Mr Sata told the Kuta, the Lozi Cabinet at the palace in Mongu yesterday that his government would implement the provisions of the now contentious agreement to restore dignity to the Barotse Royal Establishment.

Mr Sata who is in Western Province to drum up support for his presidential candidature in this month-end's election, said the agreement had been highly misunderstood by people in the country.

Contrary to views in some quarters that the agreement entailed seceding of the Barotseland from Zambia , he said, the accord was all about dignity for the royal establishment and development of the area.

Mr Sata said the Barotseland governance system was one of the best decentralised local government systems and it should serve as a model for people in other parts of the country.

He said it was unfortunate, therefore, that successive government administrations had not tackled the issue of the agreement and continued to abrogate it, hence the need to implement it.

Answering a question from an induna who wanted to know if the PF presidential candidate would not behave like other past leaders and forget about the agreement if elected, Mr Sata said he would behave differently.

He assured the Kuta that the indunas would even resort to changing the agreement to add some more provisions because he would implement all of them.

Mr Sata said that he would introduce new districts in the province where there were traditional districts noting that the Western Province had two forms of districts, those established by government and those by the royal establishment.

He said he would reinstate all the chiefdoms, which had been abolished by Government while the royal establishments in the country would take up most of the activities in various sectors and would be given more powers.

On national unity, Mr Sata said he would ensure that his administration distributed the national cake evenly and equitably throughout the country so that the nation moves together.

He said he believed, for instance, that each province could have hydro-electric power stations for the local electricity consumption to supplement the supply through the national grid.

Speaking at the same occasion, The Ngambela (prime minister) Imasiku Lyamunga paid tribute to Mr Sata for his visit and his approach towards issues concerning the royal establishments in the country.

Ngambela Lyamunga said that the Kuta and the entire royal establishment would continue to welcome people from a cross section of society to familiarise with the operations of the royal establishment.

Later, the PF leader had a closed door meeting with the Litunga before flying to Shang'ombo and Senanga districts where he had meetings.

And speaking on a live interview on Radio Lyambai upon arrival in Mongu on Sunday, Mr Sata said that PF was a truly national party which had leaders from all the provinces.

Mr Sata who featured on the MISA-Zambia sponsored programme dubbed good governance with party spokesperson, Given Lubinda said the party was not for Bembas alone but all the tribes.

He said Lozis for instance were represented by at least three members of central committee who, should PF form government, will be part of the administration.

He said, however, that he had always urged upcoming leaders to work hard within their localities and sell themselves to the people because they had to earn the positions on merit.