The Barotse National Council (BNC) is here: 26th to 28th March, 2012. All ears will be on the ground to hear its resolutions, especially given the current heightened impasse over the Barotseland Agreement (BA). I pray that the discussions take the following direction and spirit.
a. Inclusive Representative Leadership
The monarchy system is an impediment to the implementation of the BA for many reasons: it is not inclusive enough; it breeds tribal hegemony as the rulers come from one or few tribes; it disenfranchises people as chiefs and kings rule by succession and not popular vote; if a bad chief or king lives too long, the people will be subjected to his bad leadership for too long; etc.
The ancestral agreement to the BA, the Lochner Concession of 1890, was a protectorate agreement. Protection from who?
In Barotseland, the main problem, history records, is hegemony of Luyis over other ‘smaller’ tribes. Historian, Gerald L. Caplan writes, “One of the themes of Barotseland history has been the demand by members of the smaller tribes for increased representation in the council of the nation. Some people clearly were excluded from positions of power, perhaps those who had not intermarried with ‘pure Lozi.’” (Gerald L. Caplan, 1970, The Elites of Barotseland, 1878-1969: a political history of Zambia’s Western Province).
Caplan defines ‘pure Lozi’ as the ruling Luyis, who he says “split from the Lunda-Luba empire of the Congo basin, reaching the Zambezi plains during the latter half of the seventeen century. They were labeled the Luyi (foreigners) by the existing inhabitants whom they conquered, a name they retained until they were conquered from the south in the nineteenth century.” (by the Makololo, led by Sebituane, who renamed them Barotse, and ruled them for 40 years up to 1865 [Rotse means plain; ?Burotse, country of the plain; ?Murotse, man of the plain; ?Marotse, people of the plain]). Luyis believe that “if Nyambe (God) and his wife-daughter begat the first Lozi king from whom all successive kings are descended, the legitimacy of the royal family’s right to reign is not open to challenge.” (Caplain, Pgs 1 & 2).
Therefore, “The Litunga would seek the protection of a European nation to safeguard himself against internal opposition and his Kingdom against an Ndebele invasion.” (Gerald L. Caplan, The Elites of Barotseland, 1878-1969: a political history of Zambia’s Western Province, Pg 38). Historian, John S. Galbraith, (published in 1974), shows how serious the internal opposition was when he says, “Francois Coillard, of the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society, had first arrived in Lozi country in 1878 when it was convulsed by a civil war in which Lewanika was for a time ousted.” (John S. Galbraith, Crown and Charter: the early years of the British South Africa Company, page 209).
The Litunga only regained his thrown in 1885 and immediately, Caplan narrates, “he (Litunga) uprooted his enemies from positions of influence (and murdered others) and replaced them with his supporters.”
Despite this drastic “personal survival” step by the Litunga, both historians, Galbraith and Caplan, confirm that the Litunga still faced strong opposition later in 1890 from within his council against seeking British protection because “his (Litunga) white protectors would effectively eliminate the possibility of a new coup.”
The BNC must therefore seriously address sentiments by Mbundas, Nkoyas, etc instead of considering them as ‘ignorant’ or ‘spoiling the party’ for Lozis (ruling Luyis). These are the very sentiments that in the absence of ‘outside protection’ to the Litunga in form of the Lochner Concession, and now, in form of government from Lusaka, led to civil wars. This can be done by transferring the current powers of the Litunga and the Kuta to popularly elected bodies.
b. Take the BA to the High Court
The problem over the BA can be described simply as a ‘difference in interpretation’ between the government and the BRE. Government interprets it as having been overtaken by events and therefore, invalid; the BRE interprets it as still valid and therefore, abrogated. It is time it was taken to court for the experts to interpret it, then we can all work with one authoritative interpretation.
This is the purpose of clause 9, which says, “Any question concerning the interpretation of this Agreement may be referred by the Government of the Republic of Zambia to the High Court of the Republic for consideration (in which case the opinion thereon of the Court shall be communicated to that Government and to the Litunga of Barotseland and his Council) and any such question shall be so referred if the Litunga, acting after consultation with his Council, so requests. “
The BNC must resolve to request government to take the BA to the High Court. Right now this issue appears to be complex and ‘unsolvable’ because there are too many ‘experts’ interpreting it their own way.
c. Tell cessationists to shut up
A bit of pressure will help to get government to take action instead of just rhetoric to resolve the issue; but that pressure does not need to be treasonous or threaten the peace and stability of this country. The BNC must resolve that all representative groups in Barotseland, BFM, Linyungandambo, etc must desist from making cessationist statements and engaging in such behavior. It does not help the cause of Barotseland to have groups publishing constitutions, declaring independence, announcing governments, etc.
The BA is not a marriage certificate but rather a reconciliation certificate of a divorce that could have been. The preamble to the BA says, “Where as it is the wish of the government of Northern Rhodesia and of the Litunga of Barotseland, his council and the chiefs and people of Barotseland that NORTHERN RHODESIA SHOULD PROCEED TO INDEPENDENCE AS ONE COUNTRY and that all its peoples should be one nation.”
Note that it was not Barotseland AND Northern Rhodesia that proceeded to independence as one country. Rather it was just Northern Rhodesia. This means Northern Rhodesia COULD have split up at independence. The Litunga, and all other chiefs in Northern Rhodesia for that matter, could have refused to be a part of Zambia. They would have simply re-asserted their leadership now that the tyrant colonial master had gone. The BA was negotiated (instead of military force) to KEEP Barotseland with Zambia; and NOT to join it to Zambia as if previously separate.
Our independence was delivered on the values of nationalism – One Zambia One Nation. ALL MEANS necessary were used by our founding fathers to ensure that Northern Rhodesia: (i) proceeded to independence and (ii) as one nation. In western province, the challenge was Lozi tribalists (seen as patriotists by Lozis) who were opposed to nationalism. In Northern Province, it was Mama Lenshina and her Lumpa Church who were seen as anti-independence and pro-federation. Twelve (12) years after independence (1976), it was Adamson Mushala in North Western Province, supported by the apartheid regime in South Africa, who launched an insurgency to destabilize Zambia and create a separate country in North Western province.
The Western Province challenge was negotiated (the BA); the Northern Province one was forcefully crashed with thousands dead; the North Western too, with Mushala himself killed somewhere in 1982.
Just like at independence, all Zambians are committed to ensuring that our One Zambia One Nation is preserved. Cessationists have no place among us. This is something even those who may want to hide tribalism behind federalism or regionalism should know.
The preamble to the BA further says, “Where as having regard to the fact that all treaties and other agreements subsisting between her majesty the queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and The Litunga of Barotseland WILL TERMINATE WHEN NORTHERN RHODESIA BECOMES AN INDEPENDENT SOVEREIGN REPUBLIC….”
If the two were separate as cessionsists postulate, why did the independence of one automatically terminate the protectorate status of the other?
In addition, clause 1 says, “This agreement may be cited as the Barotseland Agreement 1964 and shall come into force on the day on which Northern Rhodesia, INCLUDING Barotseland, BECOMES (not become) the independent sovereign Republic of Zambia.”
All this is showing that Northern Rhodesia INCLUDED Barotseland; such that at independence, it was not Northern Rhodesia AND Barotseland that gained independence and became Zambia; rather it was just Northern Rhodesia. And the independence of Northern Rhodesia made Bembaland, Ngoniland, Luvaleland, Lenjeland, Tongaland, and all lands within it independent. Consequently, Loziland’s protectorate agreements automatically terminated and it became independent too.
Talk of cessation must therefore cease among representative groups in Western Province. What is needed is finding a viable way for the province, and indeed all provinces, to exercise enough control over their own destiny and resources while preserving our One Zambia One Nation. This will be achieved by a well worked-out decentralization process. In Western Province, it will be good to decentralize to an inclusive and representative leadership rather than to a monarchy. The current monarchies in Zambia can hardly be described as people’s “self-rule;” they are not different from the Mugabe, Gaddhafi, Mubarak, etc kind of ‘self-rule.’
Let all delegates to the BNC know that we wish them well and may God’s wisdom and blessings be with them as they go into this very important and defining national council.
rather too long but cardinal thing is lets ve development taken to areas of needy but peace must be upheld at all times.one zambia one nation
I am confused. Is this a statement from the council or a wish list by someone whose just read Caplan’s book :) Even in his opening words Caplan makes it clear that some of what he is writing was not accepted by the same parties he approached for the history. It does make interesting reading and has some lovely pictures. Anyhoo… is this just a wish list coz the bias of the author shines through :)
Ah. I just re-read the introductory passage. It is a wish list. Very misleading headline. Doubt that selective history will benefit anyone. Amazingly biased. Hey but what do I know…
fili uko tuleya
hope peace will still prevail during and after the council- all the best
When is Bro Ukwa coming back ?
I miss my nigga mwe
Leave him alone, we’re having dinner with him this evening.
It was written by Maurice Makalu. A monkey and PF cadre. He is Bemba and therefore a thief
Makaula complains too much. Does he even qualify to be represented? He seems to have an anti-BA, anti-Lozi agenda. The BA64 should not be taken to the Zambian High Court that is stuffed with pro-Zambia judges. Instead it should go straight to the International Court of Justice, or something similar. Please don’t sully the BA64 validity by presenting this matter over some corrupt Zambian judges who want to please their appointing masters.
My friend,just go back to the agreement and read clause 9.
the international court has no time for such matters, Barotse is in Zambia so this case cannot touch ICJ before going through local courts. just shut up
thanks for well researched article
KINAKO
K.I.S.S. (Keep It Short Stupid)
Nice peace of well-dug-up truth history. I know the lozis wont buy this, however, the truth of the matter is that the Luyis are just too much of themselves, they want to govern by Litunga, they are very tribal and they have been since historical. This is going to be difficult bcos all those tribes in WP other than Luyis (Let us just Lozis cos other have clear names and dont hide them to deceive) have already suffered tribalism at the hands of the Lozis and they know teaming up with them will only enslave them. So, the Lozis have 2 battle fields: The external (Zambia) and Internal (tribal war within), plus a complex of inter-marriages. One thing is clear though: No secession, cos it was not provided for in the BA64 agreement. The people attending the meeting better be sober enough. PEACE
Maule what can you say about amputation of districts?You say the Leadership in Barotseland is not “self-rule”.Couldnt we say the same in Northern Rhodesia(Former Zambia)?Moreover,whether its a monarchy or not should be non of your business.Is your Zambian government inclusive?Who presides over your Zambian High Courts?Who pays their salaries?Why shouldnt those who see what the common dont see advocate for cessation?If government was serious,it would have releflected on why Mama Lenshina,Mushala and others have such views.Government could have put in place measures to avoid tribes feeling that they are being marginalised.What do we see today?A hiden agenda to advance the interests of one tribe.Thank God for BA64.The fight continues
My brother,just go back to the agreement and read through and through,you will discover that there is nothing to talk about.And I am challenging you to state which part of the agreement is not in force today?
ALL BEMBAS ARE THIEVES OR THEY HAVE AN ATTITUDE TO STEAL ALWAYS.
thats a force statement go to tonga prison and find out if they don’t have any criminals in custody.hate will chock you lets promote love for every tribe
After abusing CDF Michael changed his name from Mabenga to Mulenga
I want to coach the Barotse national team!
Firstly i must admit dat da article z very biased n it z clear dat da person who wrote it has not put da lozis into consideration in anyway.people let us nt try to resolve da BA64 by only stressing its irelevanc as done above.i the one am a lozihas spent most of ma lyftym among da bembas and da tongas and do beliv that the BA64 z not abt succession bt also understand that the history of the lozis is part n parcel of dis great country.hence they cries r nt as a result of selfishness or da desire 4supperiority bt rather genuine n ought 2b heard.decentralisation z da way 4ward n wateva wl b agreed shud benefit other provinces2..viva barotseland!
Hmm. I guess it might help to put some quotes up from the same book that will contradict errors above as the ‘well researched’ article relies on it so heavily :)
What about the elephant in the room? The flurry of activity pre-federation, during and post is an eye opener and openly documented. Ah but like the Patriot you jump from Lochner to BA64 – hmm. Inconvenient truths omitted?
The glaring errors in the article above are either an oversight coz the author is emotionally invested (like the Patriot article) or it reeks of intent to deceive by omission. Or perhaps just a short cut research to make his point by avoiding any real time records. Either way I’m wasting my breath :) It is after all just a wish list… Bah humbug :)
I feel sorry for some Lozis, they just talk without foresight, have no idea what they are asking for.
Tell secessionists to shut up
….. but that pressure does not need to be treasonous or threaten the peace and stability of this country. The BNC must resolve that all representative groups in Barotseland, BFM, Linyungandambo, etc must desist from making cessationist statements and engaging in such behavior. It does not help the cause of Barotseland to have groups publishing constitutions, declaring independence, announcing governments…….. and people of Barotseland that NORTHERN RHODESIA SHOULD PROCEED TO INDEPENDENCE AS ONE COUNTRY and that all its peoples should be one nation.”
HOPE MWANVELA/////
oh boy not these people again! I thought we read that the Barotse thing was a fluke dating back to Cecil Rhodes days.Get with the program guys your first Litunga duped you and sold out tribes he had no jurisdition over
lozis are fools, let them go to hell.
If you study the agreement carefully,you discover that the Lozis were actually asking for equal rights and not for special treatment.Most likely they didn’t trust KK as he was seen as a Bemba.The Litunga wanted powers on custory land and laws just like any other part of the new zambia.The entire agreement is nothing but a cry for equal rights.As far as I am concerned ,the agreement is in full force today except for this one thing:THE LITUNGA AS NO POWER OVER OTHER REGIONS OF THE BAROSTELAND SUCH AS N/WESTERN,C/BELT,SOUTHERN PROVINCES ETC.Can these other provinces agree to the Litunga having authority over their land?Western province is partly behind because of land issues.It is very difficult for “foreigner” to aquire land for development in this part of zambia.
Kalu tthe agreement is not in force unless it is in the constitution of zambia. So please no need to quote crom it.
Let each of the 72 plus tribez in Zambia hold the so called national council meetingz and watch the confuzion that may ensue. Every corner of the country haz some form of reprezantation to where citizenz can direct any concernz they may have. I stand to be educated az to why the Barotse National(?) Council should be differently.
Nice article and quite educative I must say.
” 19 RB” Please mind your language! We will make you disappear into thin air or turn you into an owl!!
Ba LT don’t you have other developmental news to share but just pondering on this rumour mongering? We are tired of this! Are you talking about Western Province?
LIATO IS NOT BEMBA, BUT LOZI.
Tseretse Khama a friend to Lubosi Lewanika is the one that initiated the discussions for Barotse to secure protection from the British similar to what he had attained for the then Bechaunaland. It was also Tseretse Khama who provided an enterpreter to accompany Lubosi Lewanika to the coronation of King Edward VII in the UK 1902. So the protection was not about Lubosi just against the locals, but it helped secure such areas as copperbelt from the invading Europeans such as the Belgians and the Portuguese, probably that area would now have been part of Congo. Also the kololos’ did not stay in Barotse for 40 years, but 25 years and when the luyis arrived in Barotse from Western Zaire around 1500 the indeginous tribes were Kwangwas, Totelas, Nyengos who consider themselves very much Lozi
The veiled secrecy with which the BA64 has been treated over the years is what has caused this problem. People had different perspectives of the BA64 such that even after reading it now, they say something else about it. Barotseland was still a protectorate at independence, as such, the British didn’t wish to just abandon the Litunga like that. They might have also realised that Litunga never conquered the land that he granted mining rights to the BSAC. Barotseland is not the current Western province but about half of Zambia. It is wishing thinking to imagine that peoples of this expanse of land will agree to be subjects of a monarch in Lubosi Imwiko. Even the BNC, who does it comprise? Lambas, Tongas, Kaonde, Luvale, Soli, etc, are not equitably represented. Re-read or re-visit history
ata BA64 is just for ba P******* aba LOZI
The Mbundas’ and Nkoyas came much later. We have to bear in mind that during the time when Lubosi secured the protection there was scramble for Africa, it is of course true that Lobengula was also advancing but the real threat was the Europeans. It is also simplistic to imagine that members of the BRE do not have Mbunda or Nkoya blood running in their veins. The Mbundas and Nkoyas formed part of the battalions under the command of the luyis that fought other tribes around the region. Even the defeat of the Kololos after 25 years was made possible through unity of the warriors in Barotse who included the Mbundasa, Nkoyas and Nyengos. When Lewanika was over thrown briefly by his own cousin whom the writer has mentioned above, he was assisted back by the Nyengos who loved him greatly.
As for the article, it is not balanced in that it has debated itself. It has only looked at view of the author. Even the parts of history are what is convenient o the author. It is better to approach these issues with an open mind. We all have lessons to learn. What has not been documented is that other than fighting the colonialists, there was also serious rivalry amongst tribes. Some incidencies were quite bloody, and lives were lost. I remember some of these encounters in 1972 in Chingola. When Kapwepwe founded UPP, he first consulted Harry Nkumbula. There was nothing like bantustan nor kolwestan. Kapwepwe was beaten by Tekere William Banda & others. People we considered foreigners. The Lozi supported Bembas in Chingola
It is a well researched and thought out article. It is treasonable to term the meeting as “Barotseland National Council” because there is no such country as Barotseland. If they Lozis do not sober down and become overzealous they stand to lose even the little they have.
get what belongs to you guys..its your time..
This barotse issue and their ancestral monarch.yaba twanaka nabo.
Well, what ever happens, Africa’s best army, The Angola Defense Forces (ADF) are already in Barotseland to protect the integrity of the Barotse nation.
#15 see simata simata the head of barotse football association.joseph sitali yo captain bt to make a full team mukosepo u might need some soccer imports.(@ nani wakwebele ukuteya bola its 4 bembas)wake up u barotse chaps
History is good and gives us good lessons for future decisions. The article certainly raises important points for consideration. It is clear that the issue of Barotseland needs vigorous debate, but not only for western province for the whole of Zambian provinces and chiefs. Give them elevated status and greater autonomy for the provinces to develop under the supervision of a democratic Govt. Every province must have an inclusive, elected council to work with the chief (or whatever the local title). CESSATIONISTS MUST INDEED BE TOLD TO NOT ONLY SHUT UP BUT ZIP UP THEIR MOUTHS OVER CEASSEDING.
A Meeting or Decralation?a state on its rise.too late,bring articles,debate to make yourselves feel beter,noway to divide lozis anymore eshee ki bale bazoya!!! kinakoooo!!!!
Unfortunately Makalu would like to mislead readers by trying to create his own Lozi tribe which is not affiliated to other tribes in Western Province, impossible to realise. I will put it to him simple: At independence some of the elite of Barotseland who also attained their education at Barotse National School (BNS) a creation of Lewanika by 1907 included late Fwanyanga Mulikita partially luvale, Munukayumbwa Sipalo partially Mbunda, the Winas partially Nyengos’ from kalabo, these gallant men who fought for the independence regarded themselves Lozis’ through and through. If positions on the BRE were the preserve of the luyis or Makalu’s Lozi’s, Wina’s father a nyengo would have not been a Ngambela of Barotse. Sir Mwanawina’s mother was a Nkoya. Best to stick to legalities of BA64
In Botswana they have even erected a monument with statutes of Tseretse Khama and two other chiefs of his time who spear-headed the British protection, it is by the square near the Industrial Court in Gaborone. This is the Khama who was a close friend of Lubosi Lewanika. In fact some Tswanas have knicknamed the statutes, “Lewanika and his friends”. At least in Botswana they are proud of the base Khama set for them, where as in Zedi we rubbish what Lewanika and the Lozis did many years back, when even the first settlers have documented that no where in Africa had they come across a well established administrative and local government system as the one established by the Lozis at that time, they were virtually amazed.
Meant statues above apologies
Mr Makalu, if Northern Rhodesia, which included Barotseland, proceeded to independence, what was the necessity for the agreement in the first place? The protectorate was simply an area of land under the protection of the British monarch and her government to prevent the Portuguese pushing through from Angola and the Germans from the south west and the Belgians from the north. As someone earlier has said, European expansionism was at it’s height in Africa. Our national borders were set by them, another source of conflict in Africa and we’re paying the price now…a heavy price.
We have all read the Barotse Agreement, a simple but great piece of paper. Even a seventh grade student would translate it. Why oh why are we still talking about it?
Please give us a statement from reliable sources, coz this sounds unlike the ususal Barotse whatever… this is a Hoax or indeed some unthought idea. I hope we get a better statement than this drama.
When the late Mwanawasa became republican President he was call CABBAGE. Once people said Sata would never rule Zambia but now he is Head of state and people call him all sorts of name; UKWA, etc. HH is called UNDER FIVE and people say he will never rule Zambia. Fellow Zambians you really surprise me, and all this talk about tribes and finger pointing, I wonder where we are heading to. Sometimes I just imagine WHAT REALLY WILL HAPPEN WHEN ANYONE FROM SOUTHERN PROVINCE WILL BECOME PRESIDENT. IT BRINGS GREAT FEAR TO ME. IT SHOULD MAKE US THINK.
it is so disgusting to hear quarks and nonenties try to intpret history that they do not know. whoever wrote this article should check on our face book page bulozinahayaluna.people have already deceided. its not the BNC that will decided. they will only vote on whgat people have decided and the majority wioll win. zambia became a unitary state in 1969-1972 constittions. before that , zambia was a fedeurasl state with barotseland as a state withing it. the unitary staqte mess came as a result of of POWER hungry UNIP and KK changing the way things were agreed. by the way we have never heard of any ngoniland, bembaland agreements? what woulod they agree of since these are the people who needed an agreement as northern rhodesia with barotseland to form zambia?
While the zambians are decieved into believing their GRZ is aginst the barotseland agreement, Zambia has sent a high powered delegation right now they are in mongu trying tio meet the Litunga so that they can broker a power sharing deal.hahahahahahahahahahahahah
Barotseland as a nation before independence had Barotse National School, Barotse Native police, Barotse Bank (which still exists in foreign friendly countries) Barotse Native Athourity had its own councils etc. and Barotseland was forced to become a province of Zambia. Makulu should ask Kaunda. don’t ask because you were not there!
RB dont provoking us, other you will turn unto ushes. BIG Fool.