By Mungandi wa Muwina Mungandi
The Rodger M. A. Chongwe Commission of Inquiry into the Barotseland Agreement 1964/ Mongu fracas of 14th January 2011 wound up sittings for public submission on 22nd November, 2011. The commissioners have gathered a wealth of information from the people of Barotseland and Zambia on the subject matter and are well equipped to come up with very sound recommendations. The people of Barotseland, Zambia, Africa and the world at large eagerly await the final report.
Having sat through not just one of these sessions but several and having followed keenly each of the sessions as the Commission of Inquiry went round, I am well aware that there was quite an array of submissions from the former detainees and activists, ordinary people and high profile personalities, chiefs and BRE representatives, Church bodies and civil society organizations and indeed many more! Clearly some of the submissions are just good enough for the trash-can but by far most of the submissions were really master pieces and will contribute to a rich reservoir of Information on the Barotseland question and on what really happened before, during and after the January 14 disturbances in Mongu and Limulunga Royal Village.
One off-key feature of the submissions deserves comment and proper analysis. I refer to submissions made by a clique of Nkoyas coming under the umbrella of the so called Nkoya Royal Council, what I call the Nkoya Mixup. I want to emphasize that this is just a clique because not all Nkoyas and all people with Nkoya blood flowing in their veins like myself subscribe to the warped reasoning and distorted view points presented by this clique. The major thrust of the presentations made by this clique include the notion that Nkoyas are not part of the Barotse Commonwealth, the Barotseland Agreement 1964 was a greedy document meant to benefit only a single tribe called Lozi and the fact that Nkoyas deserve to have a province of their own covering Mumbwa, Itezhi-tezhi, Kaoma Lukulu and Kasempa.
Clearly what these submissions have done more than anything else is to expose the glaring ignorance of this clique of Nkoyas who seem to be hell bent on trying to rewrite history to suit their imagination and fantasies. Contrary to the notions of this Nkoya Clique which unfortunately have received more publicity and media attention than other Nkoyas, chiefs and commoners alike who are more level headed, please take note of the following points:
I) The Nkoyas are part of the 30 plus, tribal groupings that make up the Lozi commonwealth, the Barotse Nation who in the wisdom of our forefathers decided to unite themselves under the rulership of one dynasty. This unity was consolidated by one, Lubosi wa Nyambe nicknamed ‘Mawaniketwa, Lewanika lya mafuci’ (mbunda for one who unites nations) popularly know as King Lewanika the Great. Let me quote one learned Mbowe, Mbunda, Nkoya man (simply put, Lozi) in the name of Professor Sitwala Namwinji Imenda. In a letter to the Post Newspaper dated Tuesday, September 21, 2010 the Prof had this to say:
“For those that may not know, Silozi is the national language of Barotseland. Malozi are not of one tribe. Malozi are the people of Barotseland – constituted by 37 tribes ( amongst whom are Ma Mbowe, Ma Kwandi, Ma Kwangwa, Ma Subiya, Ma Kwamakoma, Ma Kwamwenyi, Manyengo, Mambukushu, Mayeyi, Mankoya, Maluvale, Mambunda, Machokwe, Maluchazi, Malunda, etc.). Silozi, as a language, together with other national symbols like the Barotseland national anthem, the Barotseland national flag, and others symbolized the sovereignty and autonomy of Barotseland.”
II) In 1905 under King Lewanika, Barotseland was subdivided into lilalos (Areas) and each Silalo was placed under a chief. A number of lilalo make up a Sikiliti (District) placed under a Resident Prince referred to today as Senior Chief. Kaoma District formerly Mankoya has thirteen (13) lilalo of which only two seem to be under the intoxication of the Nkoya Royal Council rebelling against the Resident Prince Senior chief Amukena II and demanding that Kaoma should be divided between the two of them so that they are elevated to the position of Senior Chiefs. The remaining eleven (11) chiefs some of whom are also Nkoyas are in total harmony with the Resident Prince and accept the historical fact that they are part and parcel of the Lozi Empire under the Litunga.
Two of these, Chief Libinga who described himself as a Subiya-Nkoya and as more than three-quarters Nkoya and Chief Mwanatete who described himself as much Nkoya as anyone else can be, made submissions to the Chongwe Commissions sitting in Kaoma. The submissions of these two chiefs cleared the notion that the Nkoyas as a whole are opposed to the authority of the Litunga and consequently against the Barotseland Agreement 1964. They both stated that there has and is only one Royal Establishment in Barotseland, the Barotse Royal Establishment and that the so called Nkoya Royal Establishment and its twin sister the Nkoya Royal Council are new creations aimed at promoting the divide and rule policy first muted by President Kaunda’s UNIP and polished by Chiluba’s MMD government.
III) Nkoyas were as much part of the Barotseland Agreement 1964 as any other ethnic grouping in Barotseland. Mr. Weddington Mucala Situtu, an elected member of the Barotse National Council (1963-65) in his submission before the Chongwe Commission sitting in Kaoma pointed out that the Barotseland Agreement 1964 was a collective effort of all the people of Barotseland, Nkoyas included and actually pointed out the names of the Nkoyas who participated in the final council meeting that authorized Litunga Mwanawina Lewanika III (who was himself Lewanika’s Nkoya Son) and his entourage to travel to London and sign the Barotseland Agreement 1964. I quote from Mr. Situtu’s written submission:
“In that council we had all the ethnic groupings of Barotseland represented. It included two Mbundas Mr. Kalyangu and Mr. Meshach Muti, one Luchazi a Mr Kapatiso and two Nkoyas Mr. Simon Urgent Liyoka and Mr Kashiwa Mutaima as elected councilors from the then Mankoya District. Mwene Mutondo and Mwene Kahare, were represented by their Ngambelas, Mwanashihemi Ngwelela and Mwanashihemi Muleka respectively. They were part and parcel of the Barotseland Agreement 1964. It is unfortunate for one ethnic group to disassociate itself from an Agreement which their fathers were a part to.”
Clearly the Nkoyas were part of the whole process unless they want to tell us that they regret being part to it and want to back out now so that they can consolidate the Nkoya Royal Establishment and probably end up signing the Nkoyaland Agreement 2011! In any case like Dr Chongwe noted at the commission’s sitting in Kaoma, the Nkoya Mixup is an issue that can be amicably resolve if the parties are willing to dialogue, make compromises and reach a consensus.
What a load of scholarly claptrap. So where does 14th January fit in in all this?
Bo Mungandi….You have done a lot so far for Barotseland, may GOD shower his blessings on you and your family.Go Barotseland
this presents a nice test of satas’ leadership qualities.
pa zambia paliba ubupuba
I begining to wonder why LT is encouraging such negative trends towards our duly elected govt
Why not leave it to the commission of enquiry to present their findings and observations?
Lozis can hang, will crash, crush an Clash them…………………………they aren’t getting Barotseland.
I think the snake will be playing the Nkoyas against the Lozis. If trouble between the two breaks out, then he will have to impose a state of emergency on the province and put the BA on hold. This author seems to be blind to this shenanigan just as he is blind to the fact that those who gathered illegally on the 14th of January were intent on committing ethnic cleansing on all those that they saw as being non-Lozi. Of course, in the ensuing rush to brand RB as a murderous thug with blood on his hands, the would-be genocidaires have been painted as ‘innocent’ and it is the same people that Sata released that are calling for nothing short of secession of Western province.
…and the point is?
Tungati
What SATA is doing is to try to put this matter to rest in a very sober and mature manner.
I am not LOZI myself but i fully appreciate that an agreement was signed and the same was abrogated by the Dictator (WHOM YOU ARE PRAISING TODAY..REMEMBER KK wamuyayaya).
THIS BAROTSELAND ISSUE MUST BE SORTED OUT IN A MATURE WAY SO THAT WE MOVE FORWARD.
WE DON’T WANT A CHECHNYA IN ZAMBIA. MOST OF YOU COWARDS WILL HIDE TAILS IN YOUR …..WHEN THINGS GET HOT
The argumrnt is profound, but four people agianst what number and what did the four say! Ge to the last point, let us respect one another. Mr. Mungandi, you live in Kaoma and you know how Libinga and Limata have added to the confusion. Jobs good jobs land good land respect good respect is needed.
A group of greedy people what one sees is that even if this barotse thing were to be granted today in years to come the Nkoyas would want their freedom, then it would be the mbundas and so on world without end AMEN!
The fact of the matter is when you are on the ground in Kaoma, Lukulu etc the ordinary people refer to themselves as Mbundas or Nkoyas or Luvales and call those from the plain as Malozi. So whats to stop them from wanting to break away if cessation was to be granted
Bo Ma Lozi get ready for the shock of your life’s expectations from this report when finally the only man Kateka, Mwine Mushi, Ntambalukuta, the wise man makes a decision. This decision will create more confusion, ambiguity and will left you with two altenatives.1- To fight (up to you what means to use) for your identity and 2- Forget about it and revert to staus quo, never ever raise it again(Dead).
The Nkoyas cry racism by the Lozi. Even this article is not reflecting on the mistreatment experienced by Nkoyas. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Ve followed the line of thought by Nkoyas, its this pretence of the article when others are treated like dogs.
#8 LYAMBAI LAMBAI YOU SPOT ON BRO! The president capitalised on the issue and cashed in tho not big time, if we go by the results, not so many voted for him but it helped him sail through. He released thugs, criminals and indeed murderers. My advice to non-Lozi pipo is that dont listen to that bunching up, Lozis are lozis and we all know them. During that fateful day,they said all non-lozis to leave western province! Did they mention malozi? Advise to the President: Be strong, you are a poilice officer remember? gather support of all zambia and arrest any one trying to seperate us. We are behind you
Another commision should be put in place to find out if the other mentioned tribes are happy with the bull-shit proposed by the Lozis. I suspect non will agree
MUNGANDI WA MUNGANDI – Mungandai remains as articulate and wise as I remember him in high school many years ago, when some of you on this blogsite were still just proteins somewhere on the journey from the edge of the universe to earth. I hope the issue dies down now and we can proceed to discuss more constructive issues. My wife is half-Nkoya and half-kwandi and very proud of her Lozi tradition. The few disgruntled Nkoyas unfortunately are copying the illiterate behaviour of other people, not knowing that they making everybody a laughing stock, especially themselves. Come on, back to issues…
People of western province, what is all this BS about tribe? In this day and age, tribe is just a name and nothing more. We are Zambians first and tribe is just one of those little things. It will take you nowhere. In Europe, real kings lost their power a long time ago. The system of inheriting leadership does not belong in this time and age. The problems facing western province (and the other provinces) can be solved using national politics.
#17 If everybody in W province, then why did the rioters specifically mention the Nkoyas and Mbundas as the ones who should leave on the 14th of Jan 2011? Why impose Loziness on people who clearly dont want that identity thrust upon them? It is interesting to note that the people who in Zambia are supposedly Lozi or part of the Lozi nation are never referred as such in Botswana, where you only hear of BaYei, BaHambukushu, Ba Mafwe or BaSubiya. Additionally, history should not be re-written as the Nkoya people were living in W province well before the Luyi migrated to the area from the Lunda empire of Mwatiyamvwa. This situation just shows why some of us thought it was extremely pre-mature for Sata to claim he would restore the BA as the situation in W province is complex.
This is indeed dangerous politics.You cant divide a country into ethnicity or tribal provinces.Zambia needs only four or five provinces headed by elected premiers.These tribal provinces wont get us anywhere.Lets brainstorm into this.GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.
The Lozi common wealth. The British common wealth. They are only two in the world.
Satanic verses
I will be honest this article is trying to curtail the commission’s free thinking/objectivity and should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. What so the called Lozis have realised is that non of them can rule Zed through the ballot coz of a strong perception that they are tribal. Lozis please wake up and you have chance for a lozi president through ADD. This BA talk is destructive for you as a tribe and it won’t work in present day Zambia.
Too much talking and debate in Zambia! When do people work?
I will say it again, some Nkoyas, and we know those behind this, want to split it us from our traditional background in unity under liwanyika lya mafuci who brought peace and security to the region, as his Livale praise title implies. Nowhere in Lukulu’s Mankoya area, and i can trace my martenal ancestry to a big Nkoya ruling house, is there talk of anti “lozi”. A martenal uncle, a Nkoya, once commended those of our clan who were marrying from NW province. These were acceptable to my Nkoya clan because, according to this uncle, they were Lewanika’s people. For the Mulongwanji, you can’t expect everyone to be present in parliament. That why we have representatives in the name of MPs to decide for us, and obey what they decide for the country.
This is going to be a complex one, there are 37 tribes in WP and each one of them have a RIGHT to self determination, they can chose to remain in Barotseland or they can chose to remain in Zambia. Do not curtail their RIGHTS… Secondly the Luyi migrated from the Luba kingdom in modern day DRC and conqured the kafue plains and sorrounding arears. Would the indigenous tribes not have a legitimate claim of occupation if Barotseland is restored?? Mordern day history has changed a lot. Like the Author has put it all major tribes in WP were represented so equally if there is to be a divorce from Zambia let every tribe in WP have it’s say in the same way they were consulted before the marriage.
A return to feudalism in the 21st Century?!!!
If you really want to be independent, I suggest you lozi chaps stop speaking the language of your former conquerors the Makololo…they brutalized your people, raped your mothers and sisters and you cling on to their language! Try learning Luyana. It was the official court language of your Kings up to the 1960’s, I wonder if it still is.
Stinger, stop speakuing Englush. Hypocrite.
Everyone has a right to express themselves. If the nkoya’s feel they are not under the Lozi kingdom let them be. Where is the agreement between the tribes?
Just a bunch of bullocks, shut up author and maybe go write about football no this rubbish. One Zambia One Nation period. even 10 generations from now it shall be the same Shame on you qwack uli shilu sana!!!!! [-(
if they want to seperate just give them the baroseland but warn them they should stick there and do not allow them to claim other provinces let them take western province remove all the schools,clinics and stop constructing new things so that they should start a fresh its like they want to seperate
Guru
The article claims Silozi is the “national language of Barosteland”. I beg to differ. Your Nkoya and Mbunda brethren were in western province before the Makololo invasion ( read “Bulozi under the Luyana Kings” by Dr Mutumba Mainga Bull if you doubt this statement) They still speak their languages, why don’t you speak your pre Makololo language(s).
No. 33 Stinger why do u speak and write in English! Don’t be a hypocrite!
The real hypocrites are the chaps who want to impose the makololo language on others as a “national language”. The Luyana Kings who died fighting to liberate you from the Makololo must be turning in their graves to hear their descendants fighting to impose the Makololo language as a “national language” on others. I do not impose my language or English on others.
I would yawn whole heartedly if this was not a potential bomb from a seemingly innocent commission of inquiry.
guru and Barotselander – It’s not Stinger who’s insisting on going back to the past hence his use of English. It’s you chaps who are insisting and I agree with Stinger, why do you want to cling to a language which is not yours but your conquerers (Makololo) language. And why are you trying to cling to the slave name Barotseland and allowing your language Luyana to die off? Actually you must read the book he’s talking about and you’ll be surprised to learn a thing or two about yourselves. I’ve read the book. Alternatively, you can read ‘The elites of Barotseland, 1878-1969 by Gerald L. Kaplan. You won’t be feeling so cocky after you get a little bit more educated about yourselves.
Dear Friends,
I Only hope you have lent something from Mungandi Wa Muwina Mungandi mwa na Nyandi.I have nothing much to say but your Nkoya’s don’t be cheated because when things get hot we don’t need to hearing a lot of apologies like Chanda Chimba III or Siulapwa.
# 32 you are very dual my friend it looks you didn’t even know where the funds which built the UNZA, Bank of Zambia came from.
You are so illiterate my friend .If you can uproot the building in BAROTSELAND go ahead and do that. We shall build our own nice ones.
Mwana Nyandi, I will pass through to see you my BIG MAN.MAY GOD BLESS.YONGE TATE.Kutata ahulu ku tapisa kulube kuli ikene.Kakuli ilata ahulu sileze you.Same of our friend’s kili kulube zesa utwi kubulelela.Neli mwamulilo sa hata konji asikautwa kuchisa kona sikamata.
Cwale some of our Nkoya friends kanahanelo kabona kasitani shaa.
BANA BA POHO YENSU A LUYENI LULWANELE BULOZI KI BWALUNA.
Zed-man, Ithink you have it wrong. It doesnot mean just because some of the people on the ground in kaoma and Lukulu speak Mbunda, Luvale and Nkoya, then they are not part of Barotseland commonwealth. Barotseland was a nation and was organized like the USA in that the BRE government did not wish to abolish the identity of the tribal groups that constitute Bulozi. Siluyana is still spoken in form of Simwenyi and Sikwangwa. Sikololo is mixed Sesotho and some of several existing languages in Barotseland. The point is the union of Zambia and Barotseland has failed, lets not force it. Insults will not help. This inquiry could be taken as a referendum. All tribes in BL have spoken, Barotseland will be free in less than five years. Viva!!!!!!. Barotseland will be a friendly neighbour of Zambia.
One thing I like about President Sata is that he is a man of action. Insteady of lamenting over the failed Zambia Barotseland Union, Sata wisely wants to cut this problem short. The non existence of Lozis in Sata’s cabinet is not an oversight. He does not need them. He is helping you people by creating a new Muchinga province as Zambia loses Barotse L. which really was not supposed to be a province in the first place. It was a mistake. He is also helping by transfering the Headquarters of Southern province from Livingstone which is really part of Barotse L, and create a Tonga Headquarters in the real sense in Choma. A referendum in Livingstone has revealed that the people want to be part of Barotse L. All these steps will help establish the new country of Barotse L without too much noise
The attempt in this article that was written with the sole purpose of trying to discredit the Kafue Province Campaign only means one thing, desperation.
The realisation that Kafue Province is being created should not give you sleepless nights because Kafue Province will benefit not just the residents of the province but also the immediate neighbours on all sides which in itself will benefit the republic of Zambia as a country.
If anything, Kafue Province is for every Zambian.
The pursuit of justice, democracy, human rights, cultural and historical integrity and peace have always been the overriding motivation to see to it that Kafue Province is established as part of the overall development of Zambia and Africa in general as our forefathers envisioned.
The reason why the Kafue province campaign is failing is because those who are advocating for it don’t have the knowledge and the history about the issue. Instead of asking for separation from Zambia they need to support Barotseland freedom first and then when that is successful which is about to end, then they could say; we would like to remain in Zambia. Then Barotseland could get into another discussion over that. For now it is too little too late situation. Zambia has no authority to cut Kafue province from Barotseland in the way they are suggesting. Barotseland is documented, not just fantansie. This is one thing very hard to fight against. Barotseland will be free. Ki naakoo!!!!!!
Its stupid to force others to be part of barotse agreement or that country. The lozis mistreat us the nkoyas and so seperating us from zambia will be severe. If this govt agrees to the pleas of the lozis to have them seperated from zambia,then we need to be evacuated to any part of zambia. Lozis are gluton and lazy. Better to retained in kaoma but the kafue province should be established. Those who support that the nkoya be part of the barotse land are half nkoya and half lozis but hey they’ve poor perception, to hell with barotse country!
I am looking forward to the day these people will go . However, going by the auther here and on the ground as far as l know the luyanas or lozis have no respect for other tribes. No wonder people like the Nkoyas are against it. They are seeing themselves as slaves. Please let them go. Let them too give chance to other tribes to be free to choose what they want.
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