By Henry Kanyanta Sosala
Preamble
Many people on the copper-belt who hail from Chief Mumpolokoso’s chiefdom in Northern Province, including some other non-Bemba chiefs have constantly queried me as to why the Bemba Royal Establishment took such drastic measures of going so far as to dismiss Mubanga Albert Mumbi, Chileshe Yulaya Mumba (ex- Chief Chewe) and Grimson Mwila (ex-Chief Chimbuka) as Bemba chiefs.
Unity and competition are the cornerstones of the Bemba’s successful political system. Our unity lies in that the seventeen gazetted chiefs and fifteen non-gazetted sub-chiefs are linked to another, nor primarily through subordination, but through a complex and flexible kinship between chiefs and sub-chiefs themselves and then with a total allegiance to a common Mwinelubemba Chitimukulu.
Dr. Audrey wrote in Political System of the Bemba Tribe: ‘’Authority, power and prerogatives depend upon descent and kinship and all branches of the royal clan can claim connection with the original family of which a traditional Chitimukulu was head. The Chitimukulu is the oldest name of a royal chief. It is the name carried by the most senior members of the crocodile totem and as such it demands the most respect. The sway of the Chitimukulu is as much moral and spiritual as temporal. His temporal power too is the greatest of the chiefs. He lives in and rules Ulubemba, the stronghold of the tribe and all appointments of chiefs to help him hold the widening sphere of Bemba rule comes from him.’’
All those who want to destroy the Bemba chieftaincy and tribe aim to break up the unity and allegiance to Mwinelubemba Chitimukulu and create a weak Bemba multi-chiefdoms tribe that could easily be scrapped. The Chiluba administration gave motor vehicles to some subordinate Bemba chiefs so that they could sever their allegiance from Mwinelubemba Chitimukulu and thus weaken Bemba power and influence.
The Nkandu-Luo Cartel
The Michael Chilufya Sata’s reign was the darkest epoch in Bemba history because Bemba chieftaincy was at the brink of complete and total ruin. This was a time when the Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs publicly defamed, antagonized, humiliated and dishonoured me and Bashilubemba (the hereditary councilors).
That was the time I became a tourist centre for disgrace and a cabbage bag for the powers-that-were.
President Sata censured Honourable Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba for having visited me since there was a national policy drawn up after I was de-gazetted as Senior Chief Mwamba of the Bemba people by cabinet at the instigation of President Sata to ‘’totally hate and isolate me.’’
Honourable Mwamba being a member of the Bemba royal family failed to betray his tribe unlike Mubanga Albert Mumbi or Dr. Xaviour Chishimba for the sake of money and position. In fact before Honourable Mwamba had paid a courtesy call on me in Kasama, he even took a precaution measure by inviting two officers from the Office of the President to monitor our meeting. And yet President Sata rebuked him ‘’for failing to show collective responsibility on his part as a Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament for the ruling party.’’ (The Post 24th December 2013).
The Micro-Biologist and Immunologist Professor Nkandu Luo suddenly became the expert in Bemba traditional affairs. President Sata stated: ‘’Professor Luo should have a better understanding of the Bemba succession process since she hails from the royal family.’’ (The Post 9th May 2013). (She is actually a Bisa and not from the Bemba royal family). In fact, the President was adamant that Professor Luo ‘’ had a better understanding of the Bemba succession process, which had been in existence for over 200 years than Bashilubemba.’’ And on the other hand, what was amazing was that when President Sata entered State House in 2011, Chileshe Yulaya Mumba, suddenly and automatically became the most senior Bemba royal family expert and champion.
On 21st June 2013,the Honourable Minister, misled Parliament ‘’…..we have a chief who was nominated without following a proper transfer system and was not initiated……….The withdrawal of Chief Mwamba from his position is based on the fact that he never served as Chief Nkolemfumu and also refused to be initiated traditionally…Mr. Speaker, Chief Mwamba refused to be initiated traditionally. Unsolicited, he went to Radio Mano to say he would not be initiated because that would conflict with his religious principles.’’
And to the contrary, W.V. Brelsford in Succession of Bemba Chiefs wrote: ‘’Another guiding line is that there is no sequence of chiefly names leading to the Paramountcy, only relationships and a new Paramount may step up from being Mwamba or Nkula or from being a man with no earlier post. The sequence of Chitimukulu, Mwamba, Nkolemfumu, Mpepo need not necessarily be a permanent order of names to the Paramountcy.’’
The greatest problem in Africa is that the ‘’educated’’ believe that they have acquired knowledge in all spheres of life. And to them ‘’education’’ is the master key that can open all doors of life. However, the truth is that you cannot think a traditional muddle clear: you have only to obey it clear. As Alexander Goldenweiser put it in his book, Anthropology: An Introduction to Primitive Culture: ‘’What the anthropologist really deals with, then, is not the past but the present…people in general, and primitive in particular, do not think or analyze their culture they live it. It never occurs to them to synthesize what they live or reduce it to a common denominator, as it were.’’ (ibid., p.43).
In intellectual matters you can think things out, but in customary matters you think yourself into cotton wool. The point is that in cultural norms, intellect or reason is not sufficient to explain strong elements of ritual nature. This is because ritual deals with objective realities and definite contents and demands. And in this respect, the mystical nature of chieftainship is an extraordinarily eclectic dissertation particularly valuable in that it allows western culture to view itself from the outside, thereby permitting the objectivity impossible for the ignoramuses puffed up with western accumulated book knowledge whose opinions and axioms are perverted.
W.V. Brelsford in ‘’Succession of Bemba Chiefs: A Guide for District Officers’’ wrote: ‘’The appointment of chiefs lies primarily with the Paramount-in-council, which is the Superior Native Authority.’’
In the Supreme Court Judgement No. 25 of 2008 between Chief Mpepo (Ackson Chilufya Mwamba), appellant and Senior Chief Mwamba (Paison Chilekwa Yambayamba), respondent reads on J18__ 623:’’In the case of the Bemba customary law of succession, it is generally agreed by the parties that a chief below Chitimukulu, it can be Senior Chief Mwamba, Senior Chief Nkula or indeed any other, is chosen or appointed by the Paramount Chief-in-council. When the choice of a Chitimukulu is an issue, the body mandated to make the appointment is known as Bashilubemba. The composition of the two bodies, including the necessary quorum for transaction of business, was not part of the evidence. Besides, what the evidence failed to establish is the role of Chandamukulu, the Queen Mother (including Mukukamfumu, the Queen for Chinsali side), in the selection process of Chitimukulu and the chiefs below Chitimukulu.’’
The greatest problem with Professor Nkandu Luo was her inconsistency or short memory because according to The Post newspaper of 1st May 2013, she was quoted as having said that it was Queen mother Chandamukulu who appoints Chitimukulu and she wondered what would happen since Chandamukulu had just died.
And to the contrary, she was again quoted in The Post of 3rd October 2013 as having said that it was Queen mother Ngoshe Mukote who appoints Chitimukulu. The already quoted Supreme Court’s judgement in part reads:’’…. Besides, what the evidence failed to establish is the role of Chandamukulu, the Queen Mother (including Mukukamfumu, the Queen for Chinsali side), in the selection process of Chitimukulu and the chiefs below Chitimukulu.’’
After meeting the members of Ngoshe Mukote family on 9th November 1924 who were claiming the Nkula throne, the colonial District Commissioner, H.G. Willis wrote to the Secretary for Native Affairs on 18th December 1924: ‘’..I agree that Ngoshe Mukote branch of the family has no good claim, they had been driven away many years before the Government came and to revive such claims is impossible.’’ One normally wonders how the Honourable Minister managed to decipher what was ‘’impossible’’ after one hundred years!
The Supreme Court judges only mentioned ‘’…Mukukamfumu for Chinsali side,’’ because there was absolutely no evidence of any trace of the existence of Queen Ngoshe Mukote in Chinsali District since that lineage became extinct at about 1867. The two questions are: what are the sources from which the Minister obtained such false historic information. And second, who has since been appointing Chitimukulus for the past one hundred years? It would certainly be hard to find in the Zambian political history, a more tragic case study on abuse of positional power than the story in the case of Honourable Professor Nkandu Luo. It is really a question mark on her integrity that such a supposed prominent professional could be involved in deceit and falsehood.
And as already alluded to the Chiluba regime in its quest to destroy Bemba chieftaincy, ignored Chitimukulu-in-council as the only legitimate appointing authority of Bemba chiefs and recognized Mr. Paison Chilekwa Yambayamba as ‘’Senior Chief Mwamba’’ under Statutory Instrument 102 of 2000 dated 3rd October 2000. However, the Supreme Court Judgement No. 25 of 2008 between Chief Mpepo (also known as Ackson Chilufya Mwamba) Appellant And Senior Chief Mwamba (also known as Paison Chilekwa Yambayamba) respondent ruled that ‘’It was wrong for former President Chiluba to recognize the plaintiful as Senior Chief Mwamba because that was against the wishes and decision of the Paramount Chief-in-council and therefore a contravention of Section 3 of the Chiefs’ Act. It was pointed out that there was no dispute at trial that the appointing authority of chiefs subordinate to Chitimukulu was the Paramount Chief-in-council and not the President of Zambia or indeed the High Court of Zambia. In this view, the President should have referred the matter to the Paramount Chief-in-council for review and hence customary law was not followed.’’ (p. J 11- 616).
However, deliberately wielding his wild powers over the Bemba traditional system and the Supreme Court ruling, President Michael Sata gazetted Chileshe Yulaya Mumba as Chief Chewe (SI 126 of 2011 of 11th November 2011) and Grimson Mwila as Chimbuka(SI 24 of 2013 of 28th February 2013).
It’s here where one realizes the undeniable reality that the entire nation, including all institutions are held on the presidential hook! For example, the Attorney –General, who is supposed to be the government’s legal expert could do not advise the President about this terrible and shameless abuse of office. Why should the government’s legal advisor let the President misuse his Executive powers and sink so low as to interfere with a tribal arrangement that has been in existence for more than 200 years!
The family tree is of crucial importance as far as claims to the royal heritage is concerned. For example, the gospel of Matthew in the Bible begins with the genealogy f our Lord Jesus Christ. And by showing Christ as descended from King David, Matthew wants to explicate that Jesus is the royal heir to the throne. However, these PF cadres have no family trees in their files and Grimson Mwila had in fact merely written a letter to the President applying to be appointed a chief and President Sata wrote to the Clerk of the House of Chiefs to have him gazetted. And there was not even the slightest courtesy of notifying the Bemba Royal Establishment.
On the other hand, President Sata claimed that he had de-gazetted me on 8th May 2013 because I had not undergone initiation. But again and again Bashilubemba had been stating that: ‘’I could not go through the rituals because my superior had only gone through the process almost at the end of his life and after his demise the rituals could only be performed after the burial.’’
In Parliament on 21st June 2013, when in answer to Honourable Dr. Chituwo on the reasons for my de-gazetting, Honourable Luo said: ‘’ I should not create my own way of handling matters. According to the law that I am supposed to follow, the royal establishment chooses a chief who is initiated through customary tradition. In the Bemba tradition, when a person is selected to be a chief, that person has to go through the traditional rituals before he can be called a chief. He is also given what are called the instruments of power, and the instruments of power in the Bemba Chiefdom are called Babenye.’’
In A History of the Bemba, Andrew Roberts wrote: ‘’The senior Bakabilo are no mere servants of Chitimukulu, but are themselves the hereditary holders of historic titles, some as old as the Chitimukuluship itself. Since they are essential to the maintenance of chieftainship through their control of chiefly appointments and their responsibility for chiefly rituals, they are in a real sense the source of chiefly legitimacy.’’
Indeed, according to President Sata and Honourable Luo I was de-gazetted because I had not been initiated in accordance with Bemba customs. But the question is: Who performed the rituals on PF cadre Chiefs Chewe and Chimbuka to make them qualify to be gazetted as Bemba chiefs? If on the other hand, they had undergone through Bisa rituals how did they qualify to be gazetted as Bemba chiefs? Note what Andrew Roberts emphasized on, ‘’Bakabilo are in a real sense the source of chiefly legitimacy.’’
How true are Dr. Kaunda’s words on abuse of power: ‘’The attraction of power is that it extends the range of a man’s personality and allows him to fulfill himself through the personality of others. Power enables men to multiply the impact of their personalities on the world and other men. Hence it is often the source of pride and arrogance. People in power use the vast power at their disposal to mould the lives of the subjects to the point where they cease to be free persons and become, as it were, limbs and organs of their bodies; there will expressed through theirs and their voices speaking through their mouths. ’’
The Mubanga Albert Mumbi Saga
On the 26th February 2015, I was instructed by the Inchenje Council which comprise of Bashilubemba to invite Mubanga Albert Mumbi (the now ex-Chief Mumpolokoso) to attend Ilamfya Bemba Superior Council which was to be held on 16th March 2015 since there were very serious allegations which had been leveled against him. And in my letter dated 26th February 2015 which was delivered to him by two of our Bashilubemba, I stated:
It is alleged that in August 2014, you sent a motor vehicle to transport His Royal Highness Chief Chimbola to become Mwinelubemba Chitimukulu so as to replace Mr. Henry Kanyanta Sosala who had been appointed by Bashilubemba.
It is alleged that in August 2014 you applied to the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs to establish you own traditional ceremony known as ‘’Ukusefya Chishamwamba,’’ which meant breaking away from the unity of Bemba chieftainship and allegiance to Mwinelubemba Chitimukulu.
In that letter I emphasized that these were very serious allegations and I strongly advised that he needed to exculpate himself in person and I went further to advise that should he be unable to travel, then Bashilubemba would also accept his exculpation in writing. ‘’And failure to comply to both will mean that the Ilamfya Council members will table your issue and come up with their decision based on the information at hand.’’
Our two emissaries told the Ilamfya Council members that he told them to read the letter for him and after they refused then it was given to his retainer who told him the contents. And then he told Bashilubemba that the Ilamfya Council should be postponed to another day since
he also would be holding an important meeting with his village headmen on the same day.
Andrew Roberts wrote: ‘’Subordination is deeply ingrained in Bemba society, and it is not too much to say umucinshi (respect, deference, propriety) is one of those essentially untranslatable key words which characterize a whole society.’’
The Ilamfya Bemba Superior Council on 16th March 2015 was attended by 133 persons consisting of chiefs, sons of chiefs, Bashilubemba, citizens, government officials etc., resolved to dismiss Mubanga Albert Mumbi and others from being Bemba chiefs. However, the minutes we submitted to the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs for the de-gazetting of the chiefs were not processed. And Albert Mumbi was heard boasting that he had been assured by Honourable Joseph Katema that ‘’the decision of Ilamfya is useless, you will remain a chief as long as you are gazette by us as government.’’
The Cartel’s Evil Strategy
The recent constituted Bisa nationalism pioneered by Professor Nkandu Luo had the strategic evil plan of transferring the Bemba paramountcy to Chileshe Yulaya Mumba, a man of common stock and therefore reduce the Bemba tribe to nothingness.
And this came from the horse’s mouth. Kingsley Kaswende reported on Yulaya Mumba, the PF-cadre Chief Chewe: ‘’..in making a claim for Chitimukuluship, Chief Chewe, for instance, seems to consider an alternative scenario in his case, ‘In fact we from Ichinga do not consider Chitimukulu from the miti clan as a royal. We can do without your Chitimukulu and the boundary will be east of the Chambeshi river. Nkula-chewe-Kaponge-we-Chinga. Chief Chewe will be the overall Paramount chief of Ichinga country’.’’ (Bulletin magazine Volume IV. Issue 3 April 2014). And furthermore, the government approved their traditional ceremony called, ‘’ukulambalala,’’ as opposed to the Bemba ‘’Ukusefya Pa Ngwena.’’
And on the other hand, Albert Mumbi, who was gazetted as Chief Tungati was transferred to act as Chief Mumpolokoso because the people rose against him was recruited by the Luo-cartel to make another division and another ceremony was approved called ‘’ukusefya Pa Chishamwamba.’’ He was promised to be promoted to a position of Senior Chief inspite of being on the lowest rung according to Bemba hierarchy. His task was to include Bemba chiefdoms of Mumpolokoso, Shibwalya Kapila, Tungati, Chipalo and Senior Chief Shimumbi to break away from the authority of Mwinelubemba Chitimukulu.
Let me give you the clear picture of the strategy: In Muchinga, Yulaya was to be the Paramount chief over Senior Chief Nkula, Chief Chikwanda, chief Mpepo, Chief Luchembe, Chief Mukwikile, Chief Mubanga and Chief Nkweto. ( Mr. Geoffrey Ng’andu the current Chief Mukwikile was to be deployed in the diplomatic service in order to create an opening for Yulaya’s appointee, but he was only to serve for a period of one year and to be recalled and that could have been the end of his story).
And this meant that Mwinelubemba Chitimukulu was supposed to remain only with Senior Chief Mwamba, chief Nkolemfumu, Chief Makasa, Chief Chimbola, and Chief Munkonge. And the so-called ‘’Senior Chief Mumpolokoso’’ had one time travelled to appoint Chief Chimbola as Chitimukulu.
The Power of Dismissals
And the dismissals were based on issues that were raised during the March 1975 Davidson Nyambe Muttendengo Commission. President Kaunda was at variance with Senior Chief Nkula (alias Dickson Mutale Chitabanta) of Chinsali District. Senior Chief Nkula grew up together with President Kaunda during their childhood at Chinsali. In the opinion of many people, Senior Chief Nkula stuck to traditional values which required President Kaunda to pay a courtesy call on him and not vice versa. Besides, the chief knew in detail the background of President Kaunda’s parents who came from Malawi. On the other hand, in an exhibition of power, President Kaunda suspended Senior Chief Nkula for being disloyal to him.
Article 96 states: The overwhelming view in the evidence received by the Commission was that unless the suspended chief is stripped of his office by the Paramount Chief and the Bakabilo in consultation with other Bemba chiefs, he retains it, whatever action Government may take.’’ And article 97 states: ‘’It is clear from the evidence received that Mr. Dickson Mutale chitabanta has not ceased to hold the office of Senior Chief Nkula and that he will continue to be so until and unless the Paramount Chief and the Bakabilo in consultation with all Bemba chiefs decide otherwise.’’
On the other hand, Part XII of the amended Constitution states in section 174 (1): ‘’The institution of chieftaincy and traditional institutions are guaranteed and shall exist in accordance with culture, custom and traditions of the people to whom they apply.’’ (2) Parliament shall not enact legislation which (a) ‘’confer on a person or authority the right to recognize or withdraw the recognition of a chief.’’; or (b) derogates from the honour and dignity of the institution of chieftaincy.’’
J13 __618 of the Supreme Court judgement reads: ‘’Alluding to the case of Ignatius Muhau Vs Attorney General and National Airports Corporation, a case founded on the principle of judicial review and where it stated that the court cannot enquire into the merits or demerits of the decision made by a body with the power to make decision. Professor Mvunga, S,C., submitted that the decision of Bashilubemba would not be attacked on any ground of illegality, impropriety or unreasonableness in the Wednesbury sense……’’
An ancient scholar, Eliphaz said, ‘’God upsets the plans of the crafty, so that nothing they try seems to succeed. He traps the wise in their own schemes and what they thought would succeed, doesn’t.’’ (Job 5: 12, 13). And the great physicist, Albert Einstein once said, ‘’God doesn’t play dice.’’
Epilogue
It is amazing that the three Bemba-speaking Republican Presidents I.e., President Kaunda, President Chiluba and President Sata have each frantically attempted to disintegrate Bemba chieftaincy. On the other hand, there was only due respect from President Patrick Mwanawasa and President Rupiah Banda. And in addition we did not face problems with Honourable Inonge Wina, a traditionalist, when she served as the first Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs. Whereas it was hell with Honourable Nkandu Luo and we are currently facing the same hell fire from Honourable Joseph Katema who are both Bemba-speaking. And that it is widely believed in the Bemba royal circles that: in the relay race of hatred for the Bemba chiefs, Honourable Nkandu Luo has passed on the baton to Honourable Joseph Katema.
The question is why? And indeed there are various reasons since each individual has had personal reasons for their deep hatred for the Bemba chieftaintcy and which boils to the hatred of the Bemba people! And three dismissed chiefs are now boasting that the government would still keep them on the pay-roll and to-date the accountant at the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs has not yet received instructions from the relevant authorities to delete them from the payroll!
It is just amazing how Chileshe Yulaya Mumba and Grimson Mwila suddenly came on the scene from nowhere and began to masquerade as genuine senior royal family members in the Ngoshe Mukote lineage and with no royal family trees and the government began to offer them senior positions in Bemba chieftaincy and appointing them on Boards. It was in March 2015 when the Ilamfya Bemba Supreme Council passed the resolution to dismiss the three and nothing had since been done and it’s only the amended constitution that has come to our rescue. This was deliberately done to make it abundantly clear especially to me that I am not in the least wanted in the ‘’system.’’
Of course there would be vehement denials but judging from the aforesaid, but do not reality on the ground fall entirely within the passage from Atkins Court forms, 2nd ed., Vol. 25, which states that, ‘’……..the scope of the defense of justification does not depend upon the way in which the plaintiff pleads his case, but on the meaning or meanings which words or actions are capable of bearing.’’
A rare piece of intellectualism by an African chief. I wonder why we seem not to recognize our own stalwarts?
Not this Chief again. Just tell us if you want to be a Presidential Candidate for Northern. All authority/power to rule Zambia is invested in the President. In fact, the whole traditional leaders’ power issue must be scrapped. Mwinelubemba, are you inciting tribal wars. Bemba this, Bemba that, Sata/Nkandu are Bisa, Lamba, Luvale, whatever; who cares!!! Give us a break. Ever heard of Democracy, Sir? No wonder the Muchinga chiefs dared you to cross the Chambeshi River and see what they do to you. On this, Sata was 100% right. Who cares about whether the Bisa, Bemba, Lozi, Tonga, Chewa traditions are forsaken. Besides, most of these traditions are demonic and barbaric.
In Zed, we vote for a leader and whoever will get the 50% plus 1 votes will be the President.
@ 1.1 Mr.Intellectual, it was the so called chief Chewe and Chimbola who in their drunken state dared Chitimukulu to cross Chambeshi river. It was not all Muchinga Bemba chiefs like Nkula, Mukwikile, Chikwanda, Luchembe etc. So get your facts right.
No body cares.. Really.
@1 WHENEVER CHITIMUKULU HAS WRITTEN HIS ARTICLES ADDS VALUE TO LT AND I CAN’T ALWAYS WAIT TO READ MWINELUBEMBA’S ARTICLES. HE IS A CUSTODIAN OF KNOWLEDGE, PEACE, WISDOM, INTELLECTUALISM, INTEGRIY, AND RESPECT FOR MANKIND ESPECIALLY THE BLACK RACE. HIS ARTICLES ARE WELL RESEARCH AND DEEP. HIS DIVERSE QUOTATIONS DATE-STAMPS HOW WIDELY HE HAS READ AND STILL IS READING. FORGET ABOUT POLITICS- HIM AND DR GUY SCOTT AND A FEW OTHERS CAN BE USED TO RE-WRITE THE HISTORY OF ZAMBIA. THEY HAVE VAST KNOWLEDGE.
REFERENCE TO CHAPTER(S):
EPILOGUE
Your Royal Highness, the reasons for your sentiment(s) is because, any serious and real rebellion and down fall of all Northern Rhodesia and Zambian administrations mainly originate from the Bembaland and Bemba-speaking and related people and then spreading to all corners of the country. Remember cha cha cha (similar to Kenya’s mau mau rebellion), Alice Lenshina, etc? So, anyone who weakens 9or gets in good terms with) the Bemba establishment has half way won the political battle or favour.
…from REFERENCE TO CHAPTER(S): EPILOGUE
THIS ALONE informs one the Bemba and related people look at things politically. Meaning they don’t choose state authorities based on tribe and region one hails from, but deeds of an individual. If one loses with Bembas he/she has lost with other tribes, too. If you for example lose with the Tonga people that shouldn’t make you lose sleep. For instance, recently, ECL lost 100% in Southern Province (with large %s in Western and NW provinces) and still won his national presidential bid. There are a lot of things Zambians don’t know, that we should know through the writers of Mwinelubemba type.
An African royal worth the admiration.
It is usually difficult to argue with someone who keeps quoting sources especially when you have no quotable sources. Paramount Chief Chitimukulu! Umwine wa Lubemba lonse!
This chief deserves a PHD.
He might need his Grade 12 first according to PF.
This is a master piece from Mwinelubemba
@shooterz, I concur with you to the highest percentile possible! I would love to sit at the feet of this noble man and learn from him!
Imwe ba LT be serious people are criticising you over your poor editing and proof-reading and you dont seem to care. He is not “Chitumukulu Kanyata” He is CHITIMUKULU KANYANTA
This chief sure went to school and deserves this post, he has given us the sights of the bamba chiefdom problems from govt to bad
A very very Smart Chief, please keep writing Sir!
How I wish all leaders were as educated and well informed, Africa would be a different story….
This chief should be grateful to the learned president for signing the constitution which now allows tradition affairs to be sorting out themselves without involvement of govt. Ecl recognized you and and allowed for self regulatory amongst chiefs. The Ecl lead regime is not the same as satas regime. If sata was alive today you would still have been a commoner.
Iwe pompolyongo! It was Edgar Lungu who sent 300 policemen to prevent him from being inaugurated. This same Lungu who is sitting on the information about who killed Ruth Mbandu.
Ni kachabechabe ka Lungu.
Much as we thank EL Chieftanacy is from God in line with which family you are born from. This is not political office. So being a commoner doesnt not arise.
Not this Chief again. Just tell us if you want to be a Presidential Candidate of Northern. All authority/power to rule the nation of Zambia is invested in the President. In fact, the whole traditional leaders’ power issue must be scrapped. Mwinelubemba, are you inciting tribal wars. Bemba this, Bemba that, Sata/Nkandu are Bisa, Lamba, Luvale, whatever; who cares!!! Give us a break. Ever heard of Democracy, Sir? No wonder the Muchinga chiefs dared you to cross the Chambeshi River and see what they do to you. On this, Sata was 100% right. Who cares about whether the Bisa, Bemba, Lozi, Tonga, Chewa traditions are forsaken. Besides, most of these traditions are demonic and barbaric.
In Zed, we vote for a leader and whoever will get the 50% plus 1 votes this August will be the…
contd…
Not this Chief again. Just tell us if you want to be a Presidential Candidate of Northern. All authority/power to rule the nation of Zambia is invested in the President. In fact, the whole traditional leaders’ power issue must be scrapped. Mwinelubemba, are you inciting tribal wars. Bemba this, Bemba that, Sata/Nkandu are Bisa, Lamba, Luvale, whatever; who cares!!! Give us a break. Ever heard of Democracy, Sir? No wonder the Muchinga chiefs dared you to cross the Chambeshi River and see what they do to you. On this, Sata was 100% right. Who cares about whether the Bisa, Bemba, Lozi, Tonga, Chewa traditions are forsaken. Besides, most of these traditions are demonic and barbaric.
… August will be the democratically elected president of Zambia. Our Chiefs are under the…
Mr. Inteligent or is it Mr. Dull you seem not to know what you are saying. Better to shut up than expose your madness and stupidity here.
…
In Zed, we vote for a leader and whoever will get the 50% plus 1 votes this August will be the democratically elected president of Zambia. Our Chiefs are under the President in our constitution. Im not saying that Chiefs dont matter, but we cant have these tribal conflicts and threats.
Sorry for duplicate post.
How about a mandatory minimum Grade 12 with distinctions to qualify for A position of Chief
Mwasosa kanabense ulinamatwi kaofwe. (well spoken your Royal highness). I have learnt a lot. One thing though, would you confirm that Sata’s hatred for you stemed from the rivalry of your parents. Its alleged that your father denied Sata’s father to become a senior headman in Chitulika village (Mpika, considered a komboni and not a village) that would have seen him ascend to Chief Mwamba. Since you and baSata were playmates, Sata wanted to revenge for his late Dad’s humiliation and denial. Please shed more light on this aspect. I didn’t see it anywhere in your article.
Problem ba Sosala, you don’t respect the same Chieftainship and for those who have been to Kasama will attest to the fact that this man is not respected by his subjects coz he is always in Kasama Central business district gallivanting and no one recognizes him as Paramount coz of Ichimpwena. The only time he goes to his unkept and dilapidated palace is when he is receiving visitors. Uletasha mambala. Very incoherent piece of sh&&t
@ Zemutu leave this conversation to the grownups, look for a PF article story and go shower your disrespect to the opposition there.
Respect respect respect that’s all we ask for. Epo mpelele
This article is so valuable that I’d be a fool not to copy and paste it as one of my cherished write-ups. I propose that The Mwinelubemba be enlisted as VISITING HISTORY LECTURER at UNZA. What a privilege it would be for his students! I was so filled with pride to see another son of the land, Chief Mumena, delivering a lecture at UNILAS! That’s what I’m talking about!
Am proposing an honorary PHD for this ChitiMukulu…
Why do Bemba bloggers demean their Paramount Chief?
Learn from the absolute reverence ba Lozi bestow on the Litunga.
Greoprto, you should realize that, unlike other tribes, most Bembas are too cosmopolitan & mostly don’t have a very intimate relationship with their traditional rulers
The day government stops paying salaries to Chiefs, all these wrangles will end
Sata knew that Sosal’s father is from Malawi, and he was just gathering more intelligence to prove that fact and dismiss him completely from the Bemba royals. The name Sosala is common place in Malawi not in Zambia. Sosala’s bearing betrays him because his stature is that of a Malawian. His eloquence is also characteristic of a Malawian. Can Sosala tell the Bembas who is father is?. The problem is that both Sosala and chief chewe do not know their history. Sosala does not know what he is talking about, if he he from Luba he should know the Old Bemba lineage from Luba. He should ask himself why the first Chitimukulu grave is in Chinsali? and not near his village.
Problem came in 1826, when one Chileshe Chapela took advantage of Chitimukulu Susula’s bad temper against the people to overthrow him. Cheleshe Chepela’s lineage was from the Miti clan and not the original royals from Luba. Susanna was the last chief from Ichinga and the last of the Luba chiefs. Sosala’s comes from the line of Chileshe Chapela and he is automatically wants by all means to keep the status call to keep the stollen chitimukuluship. Noshe Mukote was a daughter to Chilufya Mulenga, the sister to Nkole, Chiti, and Katongo. Chatting remained in Luba because he was blind. His father gouged out his eyes.
The Children of Chilufya Mulenga were Chilufya Chamata (the third chitimukulu), Ngoshe Mukote (mother to namfumu Sekwila), Katongo mukulu, Chewe, Kapolyo (mother to Chief…
The children of Chilufya Mulenga were Chilufya Chamata (third Chitimukulu), Ngoshe Mukote (queen mother to namfumu Sekwila), Katongo Mukulu (fourth Chitimukulu), Chewe, Kapolyo solombwe (queen mother to chief mwaba of Nkulungwe), Kayula Milyango (queen mother to chief Nkweto of chilinda), and Chanda-weyaya (great mother mother of the chimbolas).
When Katongo Mukulu died, Chewe chewe chose to remain in Ichinga and instead was the one selecting chitimukulus from among his nephews the chitimukuluship rotated among his sisters houses. even the Mwambaship was created by one of the Chitimukulus from the house of Chanda-weyaya.
I am very proud of our Mwinelubemba Chitimukulu Kanyanta Manga. Mulopwe nkesa musatinka for re-establishing our pride as a kingdom. Its wonderful to know that we had established proper administration structures and institutions way back. Keep writing real NTAMBA -LUKUTA for generation still to come.
The other chiefs across the chambeshi are sons of chiefs. Makasa, Mwilwa, Mukwikile are sons of Chitimukulus. Mukwikile is in Chinsali and there is an explanation to this. Other are sons of Mwamba, and include Tugati, Mukonge, Sunkutu, Njalamimba, and Lombe Bwalya (Mporokoso).
Sosala’s clan came in after Chileshe Chapel a commoner from the Miti clan forcifully took over power from Susula around 1830. He took advantage of Susula shot temper who used to burn fields and barns of people once they offended him. Susula was the last luba chitimukulu. This is why Sosala wants to keep the status quo, they have been told along the line never to let to. They even took over and imposed their own chief Mwaba, but fortunately for the Mwaba they have retaken. Nkula is the same person as chew, but…
They even took over and imposed their own chief Mwaba, but fortunately for the Mwaba they have retaken. Nkula is the same person as chewe, fortunately this was retaken by the owners. Nkula and chewe is the same person/ chief. However chitapankwa, one of the uncles to Sosala and a great nephew of Chileshe Chapel even imposed his own on Nkulaship so that the chitimukuluship is cemented among the Miti clan completely removing the owners from Ichinga.
In relation to Bashilubemba, it is only Chimba (half brother to Nkole and Chiti)who is the true and surviving shilumbemba. the rest are fake because we know bashilubemba and we can tell the history. As I have explained, Chileshe Chapela was never installed by bashilubemba he wrestled power from the true crocodiles, his nephew Chitapankwa…
As I have explained, Chileshe Chapela was never installed by bashilubemba he wrestled power from the true crocodiles, his nephew Chitapankwa wrestled power from Bwembya his uncle. Before that Chewe was appointing the chitimukulus. Chitapankwa himself killed a Chimba and imposed his own. We even doubt if the current chamba is a descendant of the half brother to Chitimukulu. He has aligned himself with the Miti clan. The best Sosala can do if he wants to build a strong royal family is to start corporations with the owners and elders in Ichinga and normalise the wrongs. Revert the chieftainship of Chewe and Nkula to become one as it was before and let a royal from Ichinga take over, and let the rotation begin between the miti clan and the crocodile clan in Ichinga. This will also strengthen…
This will also strengthen the Chitimukuluship to become a true Luba King. At the moment people from Ichinga do not recognise the Chitimukulu in thought and did. You can not suppress a people forever.
The chiefs in Ichinga, Mwaba, Nkweto, Chewe, Nkula, Chimbuka, Mulolo, Mutasha are direct great children of Chilufya Mulenga the daughter to Mukulumpe from Luba. So when Sosala says in Ichinga they is no clear lineage, he should come to Inchinga and we can go through with him house by house right from Mukulumpe. The ghosts of Ngoshe Mukote and her sisters are very real in Inchinga. By the way the only woman who has ever slept in Mwalule is Ngoshe Mukote and all those women who replace her. In short we have not been burnished even after more than 150 years. Ati “Ka Luba ke Luba echo katula Kwabo”
Ba yama ba senior cadre mulishilu nga ba sokulo ba Sata. We chipuba we why are you bringing confusion in our land because of your poverty. Shetani iwe
As a direct descendant of Chilufya Mulenga
I would like to hold you to a much higher standard than what you’re displaying here
@Chief Chewe 3.
Join us in being a United Bemba
Respect our Chitimukulu.
“Ka Luba keluba eko Katula kwabo”
Chief Chewe 3 , your rants just like Sosala’s show how divided we have become as a tribe. Having said that I am on Sosala’s side as what he says is in line with the Bemba history I know.
@Chief Chew it’s time to let go of your bitterness. As long as you are not in charge now, we are not interested in your monologue here,
Guess what? We are not voting for ChitiMukulu, So your campaign here is futile….
We came here to read the wise sayings of the ChitiMukulu…
Write your own story or poison to say, and send to the editor for consideration! See if you will get a descent number of followers other than those you have poisoned to believe you deserve to be “King”
For your own information, even the English throne would be subject to dispute if your reasoning is to be applied.
He is a very well read chief but i’m very disappointed that he keeps making reference to white researchers books who have written about his chiefdom instead of making reference to his ancestors as his source of wisdom. Why do you only TRUST what the white man has said or written? You haven’t quoted any black man or let alone your own clan. Did you learn your chiefdom from reading about it in the books you have quoted? Lets be proud and believe in ourselves.
A very informative and intellectual article. However, the claims by these dethroned Chiefs should not be outrightly dismissed, but thouroughly researched, by tracing back their ancestry. Only then can we be in a position to know whether their claims are genuine or not.
Sorry, I have to break ranks here. HRH’s (His Royal Highness – for you dimwits) writing style is rather disjointed and littered with quotations from other peoples writings and newspaper articles. I find it difficult to get to the jist of what he is trying to actually articulate. And you call him an interllectual for this verbiage? No wonder we are lagging behind so much as a people as we have set the standard so low. In my world, HRH is barely literate and relies hugely on plaigarising other peoples ideas, Now I will be crucified for nonconformity with the general view. Sad. But this is the state of the onion. BTW whatever happened to Field Ruwe? HRH can learn a thing or 2 about encapsulating his thoughts in fewer paragraphs and less borrowed phrases.
Is the cup half full or half empty?
In this case we are not interested in the minor details, He’s not writing a college paper for you to Judge!!!
He’s done better than most ” traditional” rulers in this day and age to explain in writing the happenings in his chiefdom, he deserves some level of respect for that.
How on earth can you justify facts without referencing acceptable documented sources?
The source referenced in this article were commissioned by the British empire and were well researched.
Ask your own chief to write an article about the happenings in your village and see if they will be able to put up a coherent sentence together. By the way the ChitiMukulu is not my Chief.
Your own style of writing and choice of words is high school level, C grade for that matter
Dont display your ignorance and stupidity here, what disjointed statement are you talking about? Article is well written and any bemba speaking person will appreciate it not you congolose chap.
If he is such a proub Bemba why is he wearing Mongolian headgear?
As a non-Bemba I am intrigued to learn that there is more to this thing than meets the eye. So there was a coup long ago and the original line has always wanted to be restored? Amazing.
I would leave it to Bemba royalty to sort this out. Politicians keep clear.
This is well written article with good references to different sources. Problem is Kaunda is Malawian and Chiluba was Congolese thats why they wanted to bring confusion. As for Sata it was mental lunacy as confirmed by chief chewe 3 with his stories, that he brought confusion in bemba land. Look at the way Sata behaved over Chief Jumbe, shamefull. As for Luo and Katema these will be in the political dustbin soon and no need to worry about them. Indeed thanks to Lungu for the new constitution which protects the traditions.
Lineages are very complicated stuff and I said it before, MCS opened a can of Worms we’d all do best to stay away from at least so far as GRZ is concerned. Should it be that the Bemba Chiefdom is in disarray, so Long as no civil-strife arises from this, GRZ must stay out of it. Sosala and the rest have to sort this out, usurption of power is very common in kingdoms and Empires – Shaka was NOT a royal, I wonder how the Litunga left the Lewanika lineage etc. Let them sort it out on their own !
What I have written about Sosala being from the Miti clan is recorded in the “History of the Bemba” by Andrew Roberts which Sosala keeps quoting(Phd Thesis). It is also recorded by Mr. Young in the Chinsali District Note Book and is also consistent with our oral history told by our fathers who never new how to read. By the way Young came to Chinsali about 1898 when some old folks who witnessed the chasing of Chitimukulu Susula by Chileshe Chepela were still alive. Just to let you know that, I am a Professional Civil Engineer resident in Canada, and a true Luba/ bemba. Sosala is preying on the ignorance of my nephew Chileshe Yulaya (Chief Chewe – Kamponge-we-Chinga – Nkula-Kukulu).
You should also read transcripts by Aubrey in the London University Library.
“Bemba Transcripts”
@Chief Chewe 3, is very correct in his analysis because he is outlining the clans as they were when they came from Luba Lunda empire and this is exactly what the Bemba history says as outlined in the inciclopidia/weakpedia on the Bemba kingdom. The current Chitimukulu despite his elloquence has not outline his linage apart from quoting from books written by whites and court judgements. From what I have read and analysed, Sata was correct Sosala just asurped power.
What Chief 3 is saying makes sense if any one whats to prove it just google the Bemba kingdom and you will understand what he is talking about.
Reading through you get the impression that the current Chitumukulu is trying to justify his position which begs the question, why? On the other hand “Chief Chew 3” points so articulately to an incident that seems if dug out to be the problem with this whole Bemba succession wrangle-the coup d’é•tat. Editor, is it possible for you to get a write up from Chief Chew 3 and publish it for all to see? Mwakawamfwa above also makes an interesting observation that “Chief Chew 3 points to a clear lineage from the Luba lunda kingdom down to the present whereas the Chitumukulu goes out of his way to quote the post, court rulings and all these writers mostly visitors to the kingdom. It looks to me like there is a case to be resolved here…. “prima facie case” or something like that as lawyers…
But why qouting colonial masters and not your fore father’s? how can a foreigner knows so much about your own history? this is very embarrassing Mr Sosala
Kennedy Chitimwango emashina yandi nafuma muchalo caba Shibwalya Kapila,ici chalo ukufuma opo bafumishepo ba Mubanga abalipo baba twala ku chalo kumbi Imfumu shonse batuletela bafumya imfumu ku ma Kingdoms yambi ngaifwe fwebene chalo tukatekako lilai this is not fair Ba mwinelubemba ici chalo cesu elyo cifwile catungululwa naifwe fwebene,ilyo nabwele kumushi nafwaile ukulila because impanga yashalafye no development and you keep on sending to us people that have no vision this land so please give us back our land bamwinelubemba twapapata.nine muntu wenu Chitimwango Kennedy from Kaliminwa Family.
Good try, Chief. But I would give you a C for this essay mainly because you have built your arguments on secondary sources. The basis for your argument should have been how you qualify to be paramount chief and the traditions upon which it was based. Bemba traditions are matrilineal and your constant reference of Nkandu Luo and others of being Bisa is incorrect. It is rather strange for you to rely on analysis of the Bemba traditional system by European academics, rather than explain the systems from a Bemba historian point of view. It is a defence mounted in a very biased way. Why should Bembas detest you, you should ask? Like ECL, you have ascended the throne using illegal means. You also espouse corruption and disinherit your people of their land. Sata was right to challenge your…
bewitch them if you please..kekekeke
The Ngoshe mukote linage sterms from Kapasa the cousin of Chiti who had a child in Chiti’s sister Chilufya Mulenga. As tradition all these connected to the royal family, due to conquest and expansion were given to rule certain areas in Ulubemba while in total allegiance to Chitimukulu . And ngoshe mukote linage was ruling some of those areas mentioned in Ichinga but key chiefly positions of Chitimukulu ,Snr Chief Nkula , Snr Chief Mwamba , Chikwanda , Mpepo, Nkolemfumu and others still remained with imiti linage and at some time they could even occupy high chiefly positions but it went into extinct such that no one can provide its family tree. In short those who to be heirs in that lineage finished hence positions in Inchinga that were ruled by them were now all taken by the remaining…
Chief Chewe 3 can you explain the lineage came that came through as chitimukulu’s as a result of a succession dispute in which Chibamba wa manshi the ‘kanabesa’s’ overtook chitimukuluship from the crocodiles through an aggressive fight in mpandwe forest , Chewe is not heir to chitimukulu coz his connection was only through the kanabesa’s who cheleshe chepela of the crocodiles overthru that ngoshe mukote lineage during the reign of Susula. Imiti lineage are the crocodiles and are in the original line of Chiti and Nkole . The kanabesa’s though known to have been from Luba earlier than the group led by chiti and Nkole can not claim paramouncy , so Chileshe Chepela overthru Susula as retaliation for what Chibamba wa manshi of ngoshe mukote lineage did which does not discredit chileshe…
Very interesting reading
So proud to be Bemba
So proud to have you as our paramount ruler.