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.
This is Bu..Sh..t
GRZ should accept responsibility. RB has failed to show leadership.
ZP Service served the nation with distinction, patriotism and restraint against indocrination of thuggery. Imasiku Mutangelwa must be dumped in Mkobeko Maximum prison on treason charge for his insurgence against the constitution and republic of Zambia. We errored to pardon him last time but not this time.
Bravo!!
Any presidential Speach s for now?
We need the Father of the Nation to say something about the Chaos the Lozis have caused.
The General View is that a long as dialogue is not promoted AK 47 will be the mouthpiece of our curret regime.In whichever the way ANGER still stares in the hearts of the people.Anyways, we hope the gov shalldo much better than using force.No provoation and no violence.One Zambia ,One Nation
where will the fake 35000 votes come from now for ‘father of the nation’?
“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.” end quote.
How naive are these youths? This 90 year old man has got nothing to lose. They even go the extent of believing that his charms can act as a bullet-proof vest. Give me a break. If you break the law, you’ll be dealt with according to law. The Police have the responsibility to protect the citizenry. If shooting an arsonist attempting to set ablaze a gas station which would kill 2, 3 or more lives then so be it. Sad precedent but necessary.
Surely if someone is attempting to set a petrol Station ablaze,any weapon to stop that rot is welcome, be it AK 47, 48 50 or pistol. People must learn to obey the law period. The Police did an excellent Job
these are the same people who are making zambia suffer by voting for MMD in every election.
what they are doing is fighting a losing battle, we Zambians can not support that old agreement.
its do away with that BA thing.
World over leaders & politicians weilding authority, tend to forget that power emanates from the people, & NOT FROM THE FIREPOWER that one can muster!!
It is a very sad reflection of lack of dialogue in the persons & instruments of power that our democratic country has entrusted in the structures of Govt whose primary purpose is to protect, preserve life & well-being of its citizens. Police & the youths involved here are SIMPLY PAWNS in the this power struggle. GOVT WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE MANNED BY BRILLIANT MINDS HAS FAILED!! To heap the blame on a 90 yr man(who may be senile for all we know) or the youths, is TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE, for this has been “a ball in the govts court” from the day it first became an issue. These are the hallmarks of a SPENT LEADERSHIP!!
CHANGE is…
And so, the witch-hunting begins
I will wait until PHD students at Matero Universty confirms this report! lol.
Use of force has never been a solution to a tribal conflict. Similar conflicts hav bin reported in other countries like Nigeria (btn the Yoruba and Hausa), Uganda (Banyoro and Bakiga), Somalia (militant tribalists and TRIBAL factions), Afganstan (Puston and non-pushton) etc. In all these (to which Zambia is a new member) authorities used ‘force’ in an attempt to silence the ‘clashing’ tribes, but the oposit was observed – acceleration of violence. Its true Alabee is a new comer in these conflicts, and naturally we dont expect him to make the wisest decision, but these lives could have been savd if he did not downplay the situation when he earlier visted the province. He said ‘its a small issue’, he’s…
we have to do away with the barotse agreement it only favours the Lozis, every well meaning Zambian should not support such a document which will just make some other tribe think they are special, no no there is no need for such things..one Zambia one Nation.
“No government should engage in a situation like this in this manner. The complaint which people in Western Province are putting forward is because of poverty and neglect of the province. There are no factories, no jobs. When people leave schools, they have nothing to do. Mr. Rupiah Banda and his ministers that come from Western Province have blood on their hands and they have to do something to wash off this blood.”
Gen Masheke wondered how MMD Parliamentarians from the province would face the people whose children were being killed. He said it was not a question of cessation of Western Province, but people were expressing anger at the situation in the area.
“Barotseland Agreement does not talk of cessation. People in Western Province have been the most humble since independence…
these people need development as well..its not about cessation!
#5 wanzelu, the 35,000 votes for HERB are still intact and more will be added. MMD
MMD relies on votes from sensible people and those are still the overwhelming majority.
MMD does not need votes from a few kachasu drunk hooligans to win the elections.
The MMD vote in Western province is still intact and even growing. Opposition strategies of inciting riots in all provinces, if true as one blogger proudly stated yesterday, will not bring them the votes but instead strengthens the MMD.
Good work ZP, more votes for MMD, as for SATA N HH try 2016
#17 You are very right The MMD votes re very intact, its Sata who has lost the whole of Luapula and MMD has gained in that Province. Can t people see how much votes Sata has lost in the CB, Luapula Provinces of late? 2011 will be fire no jokes. Viva RB
Why are people saying that the police shot dead unarmed people? The perpetrators of this violence were well armed, be it a stone, rock, matchet, ‘malegeni’ you name it, they were armed; they had weapons which they were ready to deploy if they did not. It is only that the police were armed with superior weapon, therefore to say police killed unarmed persons is cheap politics. Its unfortunate that someone lost their life. The police are mandated to use reasonable force to maintain law and order against people that are breaking the law. Its a pity in this instance the force was brutal and fatal.
This reporter is unbelievably Naive.This is what happens when you have non professionals copying and pasting township rumours.Really a 90 year old convincing people that they are BULLET PROOF!
Maybe its time to look for another source of news.
For the first time the Zambia Police has done a very commendable job. Violence and vandalism shud not be condoned at all cost. These fellas if not checked will bring civil strife in this country.
It is true. At the battle of Mutu wambwa, Nagmbela Mwanambinyi could transfere a motal wound say from the chest to less vital butocks. We will do it again and again. Please no hatred for our centuaries tested technology.:)>-
#21: dont show us your ignorance here. whats wrong with that statement? does that statement make da reporter unproffesional? Yes, LT jounalists (if there is any) are non-professionals not because of a statement you’re refering to, but because of their copy and paste system and poor english in their own articles
And Zambians (e.g chi# 5, chi#17, chi#19 etc) dont stop to amaze me, instead of discusing real issues at hand they are busy talking about 2011 elections. Guys tulebako nga abena America, they discuss issues as they come, not election results every time. do u eat election results? its about lives being lost due to poor decisions, forget about elections for once, ifimapolitics fya nsala! we know that most of u hold political jobs but spare us sometims with ur elections!
Bravo to the government for clamping down hard on those terrorists.
The blackbulls need to be castrated.
The government should go further and declare a state of emergency in Western Province until such time that these blackbulls are wiped out. They are a disgress to civilised mankind.
Am a fan of LT but at times you guys just make me think your reporting is so unprofesional. Take a look, your headline and the main story, they DO NOT tally. If need arises, contact me, I may be of some help to as far as editing and other consultancy is concerned. Good work though, just minor improvements needed.
What is at stake on Barotse Agreement? Is it the same like the one we witnessed > Masai of Kenya (end of 100yrs land leasing)
#18.
There will be no HaSatan in 2016, that is for sure. MMD Vote in Western province is assured. A few hooligans and confused youths trying to disturb the peace of the nation will not be allowed anywhere in this country for a sake of a vote.
The cobra will not be allowed to bring a dark age in this beloved country. Abash with PF politcics of opportunism and violence.
In any civilized society today, treason, anarchy, introduction of chaos and disturbing peace is punished with AK-47.
Sata for president!
DONCHI KUBEBA
26 killed in Mongu. I Saw the bodies.
I am shocked that some people are buying into the fact that a person wanted to set fire to a filling station he would have fried himself. Now what’s more baffling is you fire a live round that itself would have created an explosion. So the only other way to think about it logically is that a sniper was used so the intent to kill was already there. Thinking is key be logical. Ba chimbwi
# 32, u saw 26 dead bodies? is that true?
Name the man please or this will be treated as mere speculation
#11, Our Phd students are still doing their research on the old 90 year man. In an case, he has no many years to live which will not be necessary to take him to Mukobeko. The police should interrogate and find out more from him about his views on BRE. The youths in any society are just used and the real power people behind the riots are between 40 years 85 years. GRZ should continue to dialogue with the Litunga. KK and the house of chiefs should be involved too. Apart form considering the need to have a federal system of governance, GRZ also consider developing a system where the Republican & Vice presidency rotates among all the nine provinces. Sata and the Post should be told in no an certain terms that they should not give false hopes that the BRE will be restored.
#36, meant “no uncertain terms”
“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.” end quote. The same bullshit was being fed to the guerillas of Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda, Ba Lenshina in Zamba and the Interahamwe in Rwanda!
It is disguting haow far people can go in achieving personal goals :((:((
It is wrong for the government to start pointing fingers at this stage. Lives have been lost due to govt stupidity. It you live in a democrantic country you should discuss things and not refrain people. Why is the government not willing to speak to the lozi’s and find a way forward. Sending in police is not a solution. General Masheke and George Mpompo are right in what they said. RB has blood in his hands for ordering shooting of the inocent people. Why has the mmd goverment failed to develop western province since 1991. It just shows that RB is not interested in the area but wants their votes.
Shameless mmd get out.
Next will be “separatists believed to be flying around in coffins”. What a nonsense article. Either he said it or he didn’t say it, once you start with “he is believed to have said it” the article becomes worthless
#39 i am 100% behind u RB has got blood on his hands. and sad to see many people here talking abt winning elections and the number of votes they have in WP, CB, NP or Lusaka province. They have no interest at all for the people who are going to vote for them. All they want is to keep their JOBS with RB Karl Marx was right when he talked of the classes in society .(selfish gains) God bless u
My dear brothers and sisters, this war is not a tribal war. Lozis are not fighting other tribes. Don’t be swayed by your emotions. The best we can all do is read and read what actually transpired. Don’t just write becos you have access to internet, and you have al the time to blog. This is a serious issue, and don’t think that it is over. We are watching and definitely analysing all the hate we continue to receive. It is a pity that we agreed to be duped, but it has been very clear that the marriage was indeed for convenience. Now is the time to correct things. This war is constitutional and it must be taken as such. Certainly the movement behind this is getting wider support, here and beyond, and it would make sense therefore, for our leaders to think with their heads and not hearts.
The leadership is failing and certainly increasing the anxieties among the people of Western province. Please, bloggers must remember that the contents they put here are public. You must refrain from provocative insinuations, regardless of your ignorance. Lozis like any other citizen in the world deserve better and have human rights. Being humble does not mean we are stupid at all. I think this conflict is beginning to show you that mwana a poho yensu ki mwana a poho yensu mi ha sabi sesisholokota. Like someone said, leave this struggle to the Lozis. So we humbly request that you don’t continue to insult us. All we want is what belongs to us. If you also want your land, please ask for it
Most of you people are just comment from hear says but I am speaking from Barotseland right in Mongu where things are happening. The Youths were not armed as it can be seen from the pictures. When you go in town and ask eye witnesses they tell u that the guy who was shot was not anywhere near burnning the petrol station but he was not just running away like others did when the police where near him. so to justfy why they openned fire on him. can anyone of point at youth who is armed in the pictures above?
Nana wa lubinda and Litaba, all i can tell you is that Lozi’s will never be forgiven if “God Forbid” a war breaks out in Zambia just coz all of a sudden Lozis think they are too good to be part of Zambia. Is this peaceful nation honestly bothering you? if its war you want there is 1 that has been going on in Iraq for ages now and am sure they wudn’t mind having joy killers like you join them.Some of us enjoy our peace and we wud like to keep it that way for children too
:-w