The government has embarked on data collection for Freedom Fighters who fought for the country’s Independence.
This came to light when Permanent Secretary Special Duties, Wisdom Bwalya paid a courtesy call on Mpika District Commissioner, David Siame yesterday.
Mr Bwalya said there is need to bring freedom fighters together and create a genuine data base for all those who fought for the country’s independence.
“I have been in some districts where there are many groups claiming to be freedom fighters, but their age does not correspond to people who are truly freedom fighters, hence making it difficult for Government to help the freedom fighters,” said Mr Bwalya.
He added that his meetings with District Commissioners has been necessitated so that a register for the actual freedom fighters can be created and put in the national database.
Mr Bwalya said this will make it easy for Government to help them when need arises.
“Government is committed to ensuring that the lives and welfare of our freedom fighters are safeguarded hence this undertaking,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mpika District Freedom Fighters Chairperson, Raphael Bwali has commended Government for the move to formalise the database for all Freedom Fighters in the country.
Mr Bwali said that Freedom Fighters have gone through numerous challenges as most of them are ageing and need Government support.
” It is saddening to hear reports of people who did not participate in the struggle for freedom claiming to be freedom fighters, a situation l strongly condemn,” said Mr Bwali.
And Mpika District Commissioner, David Siame said that Government is concerned about the welfare of the freedom fighters and would like to reduce the challenges faced by them.
Mr Siame said that his office will ensure that the deserving freedom fighters are mobilised.
“I will work with them to ensure that they mobilise themselves to fit into the Government program,” He said.
Good move. That’s the best way to stop all manner of people coming out of all manner of crevices to claim Freedom Fighter status!
And how exactly will government do that? You’re talking about a bunch that served in government for 27 yrs and chose to forget its own kind. Harry Nkumbula had money from his emerald mining business and was looking for foreign exchange to pay for specialist treatment in the 1980s. The UNIP government could not allow him to access it. Paul Kalichini was one the freedom fighters who didn’t serve long in government, if he ever did. He died a forgotten man in Kabwe. Why’s it that only KK’s old Chilenje home is a national monument? Wht about old homes of other freedom fighters?
Mr Nkumbula had enough resources for overseas medical treatment but unfortunately KK denied him the passport to travel citing adequate local facilities.
But when his son Masuzyo Kaunda fell, his was flown abroad for treatment at government expense. Whn Mwansa Kapwepwe retired quietly to his village, what did his fellow freedom fighters then serving in government think he was living on?
Because we don’t have the money for looking after national monuments. Why should we add more burdens to our treasury? I went to the source of our great Zambezi and it’s as neglected as Lusaka’s garbage
LETS GET REAL HERE
WHAT FIGHTING WAS THERE BEFORE 1964 ?
THERE WASNT ANY, THE WIND OF CHANGE WAS BLOWING THROUGH AFRICA
AND ZAMBIA WAS PEACEFUL BEFORE AND AFTER OCT 1964
NAME A STRIKE OR MASS DEMONSTRATION
Too bad Africans love to belittle their achievements. They prefer to believe stories extolling the Napoleons, Churchills, David Livingstones and Bismaks of the white world. There were people like Kaunda, Nyerere Kenyatta etc who were regular visitors to colonial jails and you want to ask what fighting was there before 1964? Towns like Mufulira, Kitwe Kabwe were hotspots filled with rioters or freedom fighters everyday while Mau Mau in Kenya were being slaughtered and Africans black Africans want to classify our struggle as Mickey Mouse?
All african achievements are frowned upon and ascribed to Europeans and ‘winds of change’ Africans free yourselves of your slave mentality!
Unfortunately 99percent have gone to the Lord. Expect bogus fighters claiming there in the forefront (throwing stones).
I wish the one who will be in charge luck (you will definitely need it)
Although there was an injustice when the MMD outlawed the pension benefits of those that served in government, it’s too late to make amends as that might just create a new problem. Most of those that new whom they interacted with during the struggle for Independence are long dead. It’ll be difficult to tell who the real freedom fighters are. What we need to fight is poverty. That’s what is causing these people to have such claims. It’s better to help them enroll for social cash transfer just like other elderly people. Otherwise this exercise isn’t worth it
Should also honour those who were brutalized, maimed and even killed by the evil brutal PF regime
Instead of helping them, you just Want to collect their details and place it in your devilbase for what? Fuseke
The living freedom fighters to find will be quite a challenge to find them today. Records exist for those that have left us and fitting so because all freedom fighters who fought for independence were grown up Northern Rhodesians then, whose history only exist on records. All other claimants of freedom fighters will not fit into characteristics of the freedom fighters we knew in the last decade. For instance, veteran politician Dr Vernon J Mwanga is a beneficially of Zambians who fought for independence. Dr Mwanga who is now advanced in age has served Zambia ever since his youth days. Do we take it that Dr Mwanga is one of the living freedom fighters?
This is just an attempt at making money.Theres no project here. Bafuna chabe kuba ma computers nama motoka to say we went to Katima Mulilo and Siavonga and Kawambwa to research. Freedom fighters have died and the remaining ones can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Venon Mwaanga who was the youngest freedom fighter can help you identify any living ones and this doesn require a government department to do data collection.
Well, well, it ‘s about time, when it comes to this recognition issue they’re so some many fogotten fallen heroes in our country who did alot of good iconic things that we remember today for some of us who were born in that era that needs to be reckon with, Ppl, we knew were patrioticr eg the iconic Dennis liwewe, loti mwale, chisanda mitti, paul Ngozi and many others, the list goes on and on, ppl who worked in the mining industry” copper mine” who also ensured that the economical aspect of the country were at full flow etc!! some of these ppl also needs be honooured too!! somehow it will encourage the new generation to get isnpired and just for them to know what transpired for the past 59 years of our independence!!!