EMOTIONS were high yesterday during the ongoing sittings of the commission on the January 14th Mongu fracas as a witness recounted how he was arrested and lamented the alleged oppression of the people of Western Province.
And vice-chairperson of the commission, Willa Mung’omba has said President Michael Sata constituted the inquiry so that people of Western Province could speak out on issues that they had “bottled up” for a long time.“[pullquote]We contributed to putting President Michael Sata in that high throne, the people of Barotseland want self rule. We have lived in this land since 1600. We want President Sata to set Barotseland free. “How can we survive in a country where we are oppressed,[/pullquote]”
Muyangana Muyangana, 42, of Mulambwa Township, who was detained over the January 14 fracas, broke down as he told the commission that the people of Western Province had been oppressed by the previous administration.
This led to men and women breaking down and forced the chairperson of the commission, Rodger Chongwe to call for a break.
“We contributed to putting President Michael Sata in that high throne, the people of Barotseland want self rule. We have lived in this land since 1600. We want President Sata to set Barotseland free. “How can we survive in a country where we are oppressed,” he said as he broke down in tears.
Mr Muyangana, who is a businessman and a peasant farmer, said he was still living fear and that he was not even sleeping in his own house because he was afraid that the police could arrest him. He told the commission that the police acted unprofessionally during the January 14 Mongu fracas.
He said the Government should compensate all the people that had been detained and the families of the people whose lives were lost during the fracas. He also told the commission that former president Rupiah Banda, former minister of Home Affairs Mkhondo Lungu and the police command should be made to account for their actions over the Mongu fracas.
“All these people should be brought to book,” he said. Meanwhile, Mr Mung’omba said President Sata had constituted the inquiry to give an opportunity to the people of the province to speak out on issues that had been bottled up for a long time. “The reason why President Sata put the commission together was precisely that people should express themselves,” he said.
He said the January 14 incident was just a result of the underlying issues that had been bottled up for a long time. Mr Mung’omba said the result of the commission would depend on the submissions that the people were making.
Senior Chief Bright Nalubamba, one of the commissioners said the failure by the previous administrations to listen to the people was the cause of the problems in Western Province. He said the previous administration just wanted to be told what they wanted to hear and not the people’s wishes.
“Over the years this issue has been building up. We have been sent by an open administration and they want us to tell nothing but the truth. The president is prepared to listen and he is going to make a difference,” he said.
The traditional leader said President Sata should be commended for the things he had done during the first few days of his presidency because he meant well for the country. “After receiving recommendations from the commission his (President Sata) Cabinet will resolve the issue of the Barotseland Agreement once and for all,” he said.
Meanwhile, the commission yesterday observed a moment of silence in honour of the late Catholic priest Miha Drevensk and former Mongu Diocese bishop, Paul Duffy. Dr Chongwe said Father Miha had a heart for the people of Zambia and was a human rights activist. He said Fr Miha was an exceptional priest who stood for what he believed in. Dr Chongwe said like Fr Miha, Bishop Duffy stood for what he believed in.
He said both Fr Miha and Bishop Duffy spoke for the voiceless. Hearing continues today as the commission relocates to Limulunga.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
