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Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) President Charles Milupi has called for dialogue to resolve the problems surrounding the Barotse Agreement of 1964.
Mr. Milupi has said Government should consider engaging the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) and the various signatories to the agreement to resolve the problem.
He said all the signatories to the agreement are available and that government should take advantage of this to consult them and come up with a unified position on the matter.
Mr. Milupi was speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka today.
He has also urged the Barotse Royal Establishment to engage government on the issue and urged them to clearly state their position and what they expect from the agreement.
Mr. Milupi has since sent massages of condolences and sympathy to the bereaved families and those who were injured during the incident.
Meanwhile,the United Party for National Development (UPND) has said the MMD Government and President Rupiah Banda in particular are to blame for the loss of lives in the Barotseland agreement fracas that took place in Mongu on Friday.
Party president Hakainde Hichilema has said the deaths could have been avoided if President Banda had taken quality time in trying to address the Barotseland issue.
In a statement to QFM news, Mr. Hichilema said the loss of lives and failure to find a solution to the Barotseland agreement misunderstanding is a clear vote of no confidence in the MMD government.
Mr. Hichilema said the concerns being raised by the people of western Province on the unfair delivery of developmental projects to their region are genuine.
The UPND leader observed that Barotseland issue, which has been raised by the people of Western Province, is not only genuine but has the potential to spread to all the parts of the country if not dealt with amicably.
Troubled striker Collins Mbesuma on Sunday inspired Golden Arrows to 2-1 away league win over local rivals Amazulu in Durban.
Mbesuma scored in the 10th and 4th minute before 13th placed Amazulu got one back through Tangeni Shipah on the hour-mark.
The goals were Mbesuma’s first for Golden Arrows since joining them in December after being cast away in the wilderness in July for indiscipline by Moroka Swallows.
The Zambia striker was substituted in the 67th minute after scoring his brace for 7th placed Arrows who recorded their first league win since November 14 when they beat visiting Mpumalanga Black Aces 3-1.
Mbesuma’s career has plummeted since becoming a hit from 2003 to 2006 with the Under-23 team and Kaizer Chiefs but a move to Europe that took him from England, Portugal and Turkey saw his form slump from which he has yet to recover.
Meanwhile in other news, the Zambia under-=23 team today drew 1-1 away to TP Mazembe in a friendly match played in Lubumbashi.
Felix Nyaende scored for Zambia in the 37th minute before TP equalized three minutes later.
Zesco United completed their five-day training camp in Tanzania with a draw on Sunday against Kenya side Sofapaka at Uhuru stadium in Dar-es-Salaam.
Zesco and Sofapaka finished 0-0 in a rearranged match for Fighton Simukonda’s side.
This is after Young Africans withdrew from their scheduled friendly match against Zesco to instead face a Brazilian team currently on tour of Tanzania.
Zesco’s draw came just 24 hours after beating Patrick Phiri’s Simba SC 2-1 at the same venue.
Chileshe Kangwa handed Zesco the win over Simba on Saturday with goals in the 6th and 19th minute of the match.
Mbwana Samatta scored Simba’s only goal of the game in the second half.
Zesco return home on Monday afternoon ahead of their opening Orange CAF Champions League preliminary round first leg match against Liga Muculmana of Mozambique on January 29 at Arthur Davies stadium in Kitwe.
Flashback: Dr Chiluba, Dr Kaunda and vice president George Kunda during late Siteke Mwale's funeral in Lusaka
By Elias Munshya wa Munshya
In many opinions on Barotseland Agreement of 1964 (BA64), very few comparative studies have been done to see how other countries handled the issue of national unity and secession. Indeed the question of what happened in 1964 is not unique to Zambia alone. Several countries in Africa were faced with similar situations. While not every situation is the same, we could look at what happened in other countries and from their example extrapolate and predict the direction that the Barotseland question is likely to take.
In the 1960s at the time that much of Africa was proceeding to independence several countries had to unite and divide and indeed negotiate on how their future would be. Unity and secession politics happened in Somalia involving Somaliland, Ethiopia and its relationship with Eritrea, in Congo and its Katanga issue, in Tanganyika and its relationship with Zanzibar and indeed in Northern Rhodesia and its relationship with Barotseland. It is impossible in this article to deal with each of these situations.
Except that for the current purpose I will limit myself to the question of how Nyerere dealt with Zanzibar and how Kaunda dealt with Barotseland on the other hand. My argument is that Nyerere was more open and more frank with Zanzibar than Kaunda was with Barotseland. In essence the Tanzanian situation was more responsive to the future than what Kaunda did with regard to Barotseland. Here is why.
The fact that Kaunda negotiated with the Litunga and came up with a deal, means that Barotseland was in many cases different and unique from the rest of other regions in Zambia, otherwise there was not going to be the need for an agreement in the first place. This is more reason why it should be surprising for anyone in our time to discount the significance of the BA64.
It was agreed and negotiated because Barotseland was in itself a unique case. The same situation happened with Zanzibar. While maintaining many cultural ties with the rest of Tanganyika, Zanzibar was known to be a unique region unlike any other region in the rest of main land Tanganyika. This uniqueness was more historical than political. In fact, Zanzibar had enjoyed a few years as an independent nation. It did not even matter which tribes were in Zanzibar or what the population of Zanzibar was.
In the same way, it should not matter which tribes live in Barotseland or the characters of those tribes. The question and recognition we need to make is that Barotseland was a unique region.
Knowing that Barotseland was unique was very clear to Kaunda. With regard to Nyerere, he too knew very well that Zanzibar was a unique area. But when deciding what to do in proceeding to independence made a difference between Nyerere and Kaunda.
Nyerere showed great leadership that took the future into account. As for Kaunda the immediate political scores were more important to him. Nyerere went to Zanzibar and negotiated a unity deal that would ensure some amount of autonomy for Zanzibar in a united nation to be known as Tanzania—the name created from combining Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Kaunda also wanted to go on similar lines as Nyerere, albeit with lots of differences and changes.
First, Kaunda negotiated an agreement with the Litunga from a position of great strength. He for all purposes left very little options for the Litunga. Mwanawina just had to sign the agreement. Besides, the BA64 was done at a time that the Litunga was at his weakest politically. The political party he would have liked to win in Barotseland had been walloped by UNIP in elections and the British had refused him independence.
Additionally, Barotseland was functionally broke. Knowing this, Kaunda put the Litunga in a corner where he had to sign the deal. With hindsight, Kaunda should have been wiser. Politics do change and it changes very fast. Within two years of independence by 1966, UNIP had lost considerable support in Barotseland and the Westerners were having second thoughts about the BA64 already. Kaunda should have negotiated with the Litunga as equals. He should have not based his decisions on his political popularity at that time since politics change very quickly.
Second, Kaunda made a huge mistake with the BA64 by cleverly making the agreement while robbing it of its legal and constitutional effect. As such whereas we have the BA64, it was never legislated by a Zambian legislature and it was done without a referendum.
In Tanzania on the other hand, Nyerere negotiated a legislated agreement such that the unity of between Zanzibar and Tanganyika to form Tanzania was a constitutional act. Kaunda may have been clever in doing the BA64 without parliamentary approval, what is more concerning however, is that Kaunda sought both parliamentary and referendum approval to toss out Zambia’s obligation in the BA64.
I think Kaunda thought that the BA64 paper would just disappear on its own. He was sadly mistaken, because now every one of us has been able to read the agreement and see what it contained. Hiding it, or even claiming that it has been overtaken by events while making lots of sense would not put the emotions of the Barotse to rest. To avoid further unrest and confrontations, Zambia should talk with Barotseland again!
Third, history is not just on the side of Kaunda’s actions. No region world-over that has some legitimate claim to autonomy can maintain connections with the larger country without negotiation.
Secessionist Katanga is quiet now, because it enjoys some autonomy within a united Democratic Republic of Congo. This is why Katanga’s first Bemba-speaking governor could shut down his side of the border without recourse to Kinshasa. Katumbi has the power to negotiate for mineral interests within Katanga. This simple act of autonomy has for the time being kept secessionist talk in Katanga to the minimum.
The Caprivi Strip uprising was violently crushed in Namibia in late 1990s. The Strip does have some legitimate claim to autonomy and Namibia’s violent reaction in dealing with the Strip only guarantees that the question is not solved but buried only to be resurrected latter.
Canada has its own unique issues with Quebec. To keep Quebec within a united Canada, Canada has had to make concessions that other regions in Canada simply regard to be ridiculous. Quebec’s right to self-determination encompasses immigration, and even taxation. Prominence of Québécois politicians at the federal scene gives the region some amount of pride that has for now postponed the drive towards independence.
With regard to Ethiopia, only war led to Ethiopia granting independence to Eritrea. War ought not to be the case with Zambia. We have seen how Nyerere handled Zanzibar, negotiate and make deals. If Zanzibar is happy, so will Tanzania be.
For Zambia, Kaunda is no longer in power. It is therefore not about what Kaunda did and did not do. The challenge for President Rupiah Banda is to listen, negotiate and make a deal. This deal should not be changed at will by Zambia.
A united Zambia is possible only to the extent that those elements that created it in the first place remain peaceful. You cannot dribble the Barotse on one hand while on the other hand preach a message of peace and unity.
“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings…”
(Proverbs 22:29, NIV)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Too often, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut, doing the same thing the same way over and over every day. But if we are going to live at our absolute best, we should constantly be growing and sharpening our skills. We should strive to learn and grow every single day because when you stop learning, you stop growing. When you stop growing, you stop living.
What are you doing to stretch yourself? What are you doing to improve your skills? Don’t get trapped into thinking that “good enough” is good enough. You were created for more than just average. Today is a new day, and there are new heights for you to climb. Pursue what you love and keep developing that area of your life. Take a class or find a mentor that will help you live skillfully. As you do, you’ll rise up higher and higher. You will stand before leaders and rulers, and you’ll live the blessed life God has in store for you!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father in heaven, today I choose to rise out of mediocrity. I choose to give my very best to everything I do. Teach me to live skillfully so that my life is a continual praise to You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Lusaka Mayor Daniel Chisenga and Acting Town Clerk Bornwell Lwanga said the allocations of land to councilors are a normal trend at the council.
Mr. Lwanga said the council has a record of members of the public that have benefited from such land allocations.
Mr Lwanga and the mayor said this in response to a query from ZNBC news.
And The Ministry of Local Government has instituted investigations into the alleged irregular allocation of land by the Lusaka City Council.
Local Government Deputy Minister Moses Muteteka said his ministry is concerned by reports that council staff awarded themselves plots at the Lilayi Housing Unit.
Mr Mutetka was speaking with ZNBC News in Lusaka on Saturday.
He says the report will be submitted to police once investigations are completed.
Minutes of the special council meeting of December 30, 2010, have revealed that the Patriotic Front led Lusaka City is alleged to have allocated itself over 90-plots against eleven offered to the public at the Lilayi Housing Development Project.
The housing project has about one hundred and two residential plots, each valued at 40 Million Kwacha.
The piece of land measures approximately 6.3 hectors and follows the successful swapping of land between the council and Lilayi Housing Development.
According to minutes of the special council meeting of December 30, 2010, the office of the Mayor has been given 10-plots while the office of the Town Clerk has been allocated five plots.
Councilors have allocated themselves 45-plots while 16-others have gone to members of staff at the local authority.
The report by the council’s Acting Director of Legal Services on the allocation of plots at the housing project also indicates that 5-plots have been offered to the office of the Deputy Mayor.
It has been agreed according to the minutes that provisional offer letters be issued pending a formal decision by the Plans, Work and Development Committee.
Youth Protesters taunting the police during the Mongu riots.
A named former Barotseland Royal Establishment (BRE) prime minister (Ngambela) is said to be the man behind the insurgency.
The 90-year-old man is believed to have indoctrinated many young people, making them believe that they would be bulletproof if they use his charms.
On January 14, police fought running battles in Mongu and Limulunga with several groups of youths wielding stones, axes and machetes.
The Limulunga royal village, home of the Litunga, was turned into fierce battleground when several youths clashed with the police.
The youths raided a home of one of their own clansmen and beat up another juvenile before police could move in.
They openly taunted and challenged the police, who remained calm until the young men attempted to raid the police camp. The paramilitary police replied by firing teargas canisters.
Leaders of the Linyungandambo, a group calling itself the Black Bulls, BPF and BFM had called for a meeting in Limulunga, dubbed Limulunga Declaration.
And calm is gradually returning to Mongu where police have maintained their heavy presence on the streets and all public places.
Western Province police commanding officer Peacewell Mweemba warned that police will continue clamping down on all those suspected of causing confusion in the area.
Mr Mweemba said police have remained alert for any renegades who may want to stir violence again.
“The situation has calmed down but we shall continue with our patrols in Mongu and Limulunga. We do not know what these people are planning now and we shall not give them any opportunity to cause any form of confusion or terror to others,” Mr Mweemba said.
He has also assured inter-city bus operators that the Lusaka-Mongu Road is open and that police have put in enough security measures to protect the travellers.
By late afternoon on January 15, the police had extended their patrols to the townships, particularly those where the suspected youths live.
Meanwhile, Western Province Police commanding officer Peacewell Mweemba has dismissed reports that Police shot dead eight youths on January Friday.
Mr Mweemba explained that apart from the two who died, one unidentified man was found lying dead by Police on Limulunga Road around 19:30 hours on January 14.
He said the man, who was killed by unknown people, sustained a deep cut on the left side of his ribs and his hands were crossed on the chest.
Mr Mweemba said the deceased must have been stabbed with a knife. The body is lying in Lewanika General Hospital mortuary awaiting identification, postmortem and burial.
THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested a 36-year-old student of Greenwood Institute in Lusaka for allegedly trafficking in cocaine.
Francisco Mayimona, an Angolan national, was arrested at his Makeni home after allegedly being found with four sachets of cocaine powder.
DEC public relations manager, John Nyawali said Mayimona was also found with US$4,900 which was seized as it is believed the money was part of proceeds from cocaine sales.
Mr Nyawali said Mayimona is allegedly one of the drug kingpins that have been supplying cocaine to members of the public along the line of rail.
The suspect is detained in police custody with three alleged accomplices.
In a separate incident, the DEC has arrested 33-year-old Lusaka City Council football club player Cephas Meja for allegedly trafficking in cocaine.
Meja, a resident of Libala in Lusaka, was arrested at his makeshift stall after allegedly being found with six sachets of cocaine.
Meanwhile, Mr Nyawali has said that 74 people were arrested countrywide in the last seven days for trafficking in various quantities of cannabis weighing a total of 406kgs.
All suspects are detained in police custody awaiting trial.
And the Immigration Department in Lusaka has arrested 14 foreign nationals for abrogating various immigration laws.
Immigration Department public relations officer Justine Siame said the culprits were arrested last Tuesday during a night operation in Lusaka.
Mr Siame said in an interview in Lusaka that the prohibited immigrants have been detained and will soon appear in court for prosecution.
“Those arrested were 10 Somalis arrested from Chaisa Township, two Congolese from Mandevu Township, a Nigerian and a Mozambican both of Matero Township,” he said.
Mr Siame also said the department has arrested a Zambian woman in Mansa for allegedly harbouring a Congolese national.
Eight Congolese have also been arrested for illegal entry into Zambia.
Mr Siame said an Egyptian man has been arrested and detained in Kitwe for allegedly working at a named company without a valid work permit and will appear in court soon.
“In Chingola four Congolese were prosecuted and convicted for illegal entry. They were fined K1million each or in default six months simple imprisonment,” he said.
Mr Siame warned that the department will not relent in ensuring that culprits abrogating immigration laws are brought to book.
FOUR church leaders have been arrested for allegedly swindling over K400 million from farmers in Mpongweon the pretext of supplying them with fertiliser.
Mpongwe District Commissioner Rasford Bulaya confirmed this in an interview on January 14.
“Two pastors and two elders are in custody over the swindling of farmers in Mpongwe. They collected money for the supply of fertiliser as a way of supplementing Government’s effort to promote agriculture in the area,” he said.
He said the clergymen supplied only two truckloads of Compound D fertiliser to a few farmers.
Mr Bulaya said the four, who are believed to be running a non-governmental organisation, are remanded in police custody in Luanshya pending further investigations.
Meanwhile, Mr Bulaya has said that Government distributed fertiliser to farmers in Mpongwe as early as October 2010.
He said farmers are now able to adequately plan for their farming activities.
He said government’s Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) has enhanced agriculture production in the district.
“We are happy with Government’s commitment in the distribution of FISP as this will enhance national food security,” he said.
Mr Bulaya has also said that 75 percent of rural electrification programmes have been achieved in the district.
He said almost all palaces have been electrified.
In phase one of the programme, Chieftainess Malembeka and Chieftainess Lesa’s palaces were electrified. In the second phase Chief Machiya’s palace was electrified.
Only Chief Mwinuna’s palace is yet to be connected to the power grid.
Mr Bulaya said Kanyenda Basic School, which is about 10kms from Mpongwe clinic, has also been electrified.
Mr Bulaya said other areas will be electrified this year.
He also said a basic school is being constructed to ease the pressure for school places at Ibenga High School and Mpongwe High School.
has announced that it will soon start selling maize to people in the country at a reduced price of K50, 000 from the set K65, 000 floor price.
Vice President George Kunda who is on a tour of developmental projects in the province said Government through Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will soon start offloading some of the maize in districts to allow people access the commodity.
Mr. Kunda has also stated that some of the maize will be used for relief assistant to affected families in the country through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU).
He told the gathering that it is their duty to help affected families adding that Government is not there to make profit from the unprecedented 2.8 million bumper harvest recorded in the 2009/2010 farming season.
And Kalomo FRA Assistant Marketing Officer, Joseph Kalamila said about 905, 000 bags of maize have been safely stored in the district.
The United Independence Party UNIP has advised Government to accept responsibility for the deteriorating situation in Western Province.
UNIP vice President Njekwa Anamela observed that there was no substitute for a genuine and constructive dialogue on the Barotse Agreement.
Mr. Anamela said there was no need for any person to die or be killed for the exercise of their human rights.
In a statement to QFM, the UNIP Vice President noted that multiparty democracy is about building an open, transparent and participative plural society in which all citizens exercise their freedom of assembly and expression without undue hindrances.
Commenting on the recent developments in Western Province, Mr. Anamela observed that restricting freedom of speech and movement, stopping meetings and shooting people is murder and crime against humanity.
Mr. Anamela condemned all forms of violence and called for restraint on the part of the police in the exercise of their law and order function.
He added that it is the duty of the police to protect everybody and establish a healthy environment for debate and dialogue on all national matters.
Mr. Anamela observes that only debate, dialogue, tolerance and accommodation could guarantee peace in all parts of the country, including Western Province.
On Friday Police shot dead one man as they attempted to stop him from setting ablaze a filling station, a situation which Home Affairs Minister Mkhondo Lungu said would have had grave consequences had the man not been stopped.
The Home Affairs Minister also announced that several people from Mongu and Lusaka had been arrested by police for threatening the peace of the country.
In Mongu Mr. Lungu said a group of 20 people carrying matchetes was in the early hours of Friday rounded-up by police. Five other activists from Lusaka believed to be inciting people over the 1964 agreement had also been picked up.
Mr. Lungu said the group that went on rampage threw stones at police and the general public, breaking vehicle window screens, and deflating vehicle tyres.
Government has since increased the presence of police in Western Province to quail of any possible unrest.
Several government properties were yesterday destroyed in Mongu following the fracas that broke out between Police Officers and activists of the Barotse agreement of 1964.
A check this morning found that council offices and vehicles were destroyed by the violent riotous youth, who went ahead removing flags on several government offices in the district.
Meanwhile, Western Province Police Commanding Officer Peacewel Mweemba has dismissed speculations that Police shot dead eight youths during yesterdays’ fracas.
Mr. Mweemba added that apart from the two who were reported dead, one unidentified man was found lying dead by police along Limulunga road around 19:30hours.
The Police Chief said the man was who killed by unknown people sustained a deep cut on the left side of his ribs with his hands crossed on the chest.
Mr. Mweemba said the deceased is believed to have been stabbed with a knife adding that his body is currently lying in Lewanika General Hospital Mortuary awaiting identification, postmortem and burial.
AND Mr. Mweemba has described the current situation in the district as peaceful and calm. He said things were back to normal adding that both shops and markets are open while people are moving freely on the streets.
A group of the Barotse activists yesterday rioted after government cancelled their meeting of the Barotse Agreement of 1964 which was scheduled to take place yesterday 14th January 2011.
The Church is disturbed by the death of two people in Mongu, Western province of Zambia and the unrest unfolding over the Barotse Agreement of 1964.
Evangelical Fellowship of ZAMBIA-EFZ Executive Director Pukuta Mwanza says the church is saddened that the actions of a group of people calling itself the ‘Black Bulls’ over the restoration of the Barotseland Agreement has now resulted in loss of life.
Rev. Mwanza says the disturbances and the subsequent loss of two lives are unfortunate and regrettable.
Rev. Mwanza has further supported government position not to entertain calls for secession of the province.
In a statement to ZNBC in Lusaka on Saturday, Rev. Mwanza says Zambia is a unitary state and should be allowed to remain so.
And the Christian Coalition of Zambia says it is saddened by the unfortunate turn of events in Mongu and Limulunga.
Coalition President Bishop Godwin Musonda has asked the media not to sensationalise events in the Western Province.
Speaking with ZNBC News on Saturday in Lusaka, the Bishop has also asked the church in the area to be magnanimous in their message for peace and unity in the area.
Two people died in Mongu on Friday, among them a child, after a group of people ran amok over the Barotseland Agreement of 1964.
Police shot dead one man as attempts to stop him from setting ablaze a filling station failed.
Home Affairs Minister Mkhondo Lungu says the consequences would have been much grave had the man succeeded with his intentions of arson.
Mr Lungu says the child died after he was hit by a stone, as a stone-throwing group went on rampage in Mongu.
Mr. Lungu says Government however regrets the loss of life.
The Fifth Session of the Tenth National Assembly which adjourned Sine Die on November 26 last year will resume sitting on February 22 this year.
This is according to a statement released by Clerk of the National Assembly Doris Mwiinga, Friday Evening in Lusaka to ZNBC News.
In the previous session, considerable business was transacted during the sittings of the House, which lasted for 41 days.
The House debated President Rupiah Banda’s Speech for the official opening of Parliament and the National Budget, which was approved.
Over 195 questions and 17 Government Bills were presented and considered by the House.
Parliament also saw 19 Ministerial Statements presented and extensively discussed by the House.
The House however resumes sitting without Mporokoso Member of Parliament Maynard Misapa who resigned from the ruling MMD to join opposition Patriotic Front-PF.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has set March 3 as the date for the Mporokoso by-election.
The United Party for National Development president Hakainde Hichilema has condemned the shooting of people in western province.
Mr. Hichilema says it is unfortunate that lives have been lost to matters that government would have avoided.
He has described the shooting incidence as police brutality which should not be allowed to take place in Zambia.
Two people, among them a child, have been killed while several others have sustained gunshot wounds in a confrontation between the police and advocates of the secession of Western Province.
Youths, mostly below the age of 25 years, were involved in the violence that started at around 11:00 hours.
An eyewitness who preferred anonymity said the youth dared police, saying they were ready to die for a “noble” cause.
They pelted all sorts of objects at the police officers who were later compelled to retaliate and in the process killed one person while several others were injured.
The youth sang and chanted the Barotseland anthem and slogans while daring the paramilitary police officers fully armed and dressed in riot gear.
But Mr. Hichilema says Zambia is under a democratic rule, which does no allow such matters to take place.
He accused president Banda of ruling Zambia as a one party democratic state which should not be the case.
Mr. Hichilema explained to QFM this morning that Zambians should not tolerate a one party state rule in the modern world.
