A CURSE FROM THE BLACK KNIGHT
– SIKUTO SA Mwanawina in DETAILS
it is common knowledge that the Litunga Sir Mwanawina cursed those Barotse National who were participating in Zambian politics between 1960 and 1968, specifically the Wina family and Lozis based on the Line of rail.
But as you will see from this article, Mwanawina’s curse has transcended into other successive generations. We have seen a number of Lozis who have come up to contest for presidential seats in Zambia, but they have failed, because of the curse.
Now, you might mistake Mwanawina for being a bad person, for him to have cursed Barotse Nationals in Zambian politics, no he wasn’t a bad person. There is a very important reason why he did it.
Sir Mwanawina used powers and authority in his own right as a leader ordained by God to rule, just as those who came before him . Before John Cecil Rhodes created Zambia(Northern Rhodesia), Barotseland was a country own it’s own, even in 1960 it
was recognized as such. When Northern Rhodesia was created by Europeans , The other Litungas before Sir Mwanawina did everything possible to make Barotseland safe and to keep it out of the scramble for Africa by European countries. This was done smartly: through dealings with other monarchies in Europe and a few compromises.
The Litungas were not the only ones using this method to protect their nation from the scramble. In Botswana for Example, King Khama III also did the same. In retrospect, it appears it was the best way of protection! Because King Lobengula, for instance, who never made deals with other European monarchies was attacked and killed by Europeans who were scrambling for Africa!
Now, Sir Mwanawina, in 1964 was in the process of continuing from where his
predecessors had left, so that if everything had happened without interference from the Lozis he had cursed, Barotseland was going to become like Botswana today.
But unfortunately, some Lozis who were jealous of the Litungaship sold out. They conived with foreigners across the Kafue river to dilute Barotse Nationalism. These people were Mr Namakando’s children. Mr Namakando Wina was once the prime minister of Barotseland, but he was laid off his duties due to certain issues and he was not happy with that. So his hate and vengeance towards the throne was transferred to his children, Arthur Wina and Sikota Wina.
Thus , the two Lealui boys carried on and when the opportunity presented itself at Munali School in Lusaka, they finally joined political movements in Northern Rhodesia together with others like
Nalumino Mundia. These political Movements were hostile towards African Nations like Barotseland because they were motivated by self interests.
In Kaplan’s book, pages 195-196, it is observed that Nalumino Mundia had a personal mission of spreading UNIP in Barotseland, something that didn’t go well with the traditional government in charge of Barotseland then who, Like Linyungandambo and BNFA today, did not want Northern Rhodesia’s brand of politics meddling in Barotseland.
In November 1961, Nalumino Mundia, Liatitima Mubukwanu and Ngombala Lubita with a large group of vociferous supporters assembled at Lealui to agitate for UNIP and Nalumino Mundia. A small contingent of mobile (riot) police ordered Mundia and his supporters to disperse and of course you can guess they would not do that so easily. “A riot ensued–the first in
Barotseland under white rule–ending only after the police used tear gas against the crowd.” It’s in this skirmish that Nalumino Mundia’s vociferous UNIP supporters used cow horns (manaka) against the police. The horns came handy for the butchery and slaughter place were situate about 300 metres south-east from the Kuta.
Another narrative states that, in the month leading towards the Barotseland Agreement ,there was a mini civil uprising which Lozis called “Ndwa ya Manaka” .The Wina brothers & collegues incited people, to rise againist the indunas and the king.Land Rovers were loaded with cow horns(manaka) which were used to beat the indunas perceived to be “Anti Joining” Zambia.
They were sponsored by UNIP and motivated by promises of jobs in the Cabinet Kenneth Kaunda had on the plater
for them. The Winas did all this without thinking about future generations, “Us”.
This incident happened way before the signing of BA’64, especially that it preceded the 1962, 1963 and 1964 elections. This is the forerunner to the campaigns that influenced Marotse to tag along with UNIP and intergrate Barotseland.
For the sake of understanding, and also, for the sake of the fact that it was the same Litunga Sir Mwanawina whose famously known for signing the Barotseland Agreement 1964, let me share a brief background of the Agreement and on why it was signed:
After the elections of 24th January 1964 swept Kaunda and UNIP into power, “…UNIP had taken sole possession of the central government, and it now SEEMED to have won effective control of the
Barotse government as well…… The elected councillors refused to follow the party line….. joined the traditionalists……. In the end, it was the central government which was forced largely to capitulate…. ” by accepting that despite electoral defeat, Sir Mwanawina has to be accommodated through a memorandum that finally concluded as BA’64(Barotseland Agreement 1964).
The purpose of the Barotseland Agreement, 1964 “was to establish Barotseland’s position within Zambia in place of the earlier agreements between Britain and Barotseland which would be terminated…… in October ” 24th, 1964.
A serious student of history would arrive at the conclusion that rather than Sir Mwanawina, as many people think, it was Kaunda who was forced to sign the BA’64 when he was already Prime Minister of Northern Rhodesia! Because Kaunda
signed the agreement reluctantly and with misgivings, he abrogated it in August 1969, nine months after the passing on of Sir Mwanawina lll. This abrogation followed a sham constitutional referundum of June 1969 through which Kaunda premised he has been mandated to make certain desired changes to the country’s 1964 constitution.
Whether this agreement or treaty was to be written into the new Zambian constitution or referenced as an addendum is now water under the bridge : Kaunda was determined to abrogate it at an opportune time and we know he did after being forced to sign it. This is why he has since opted for silence apart from a feeble attempt of bringing it back to life when campaigning for the multi party elections of 1991.
Fast forward to the St. Lawrence indaba of March 2012. Yes! I want to be intellectually antagonistic here , my apologies:
Without BA’64 of 18th May 1964, what
would you have waved to the international community today when you had been politically acquisitive on being INTERGRATED as demonstrated by the 1962, 1963 and 1964 voting despite being warned?
Henceforth, know who was forced to sign the BA’64 because he didn’t like the preservation “of traditional rights and the Litunga retaining powers over local government matters…..”
Sir Mwanawina’s advices, admonishings and foretells to the Barotse and the Lozi UNIP stalwarts are vividly remembered and some of stalwarts have not shied in confessing how true events have unfolded.
It’s only the pain of today that makes one shift the blame and hunt for a scapegoat.
Finally, for the serious, download Pierre
Englebert’s scholary article “Separatism in Barotseland and Casamance “. Quite some good summary.
Sir Mwanawina’s lll, who preferred independence instruments instead, was forced by a veer of history to instead force the new KK/UNIP central government to sign the BA’64 as a salvage. That is the lifeboat without which KK today would have simply referred the Barotse to the three elections of the first half of the 60s.
Furthermore, there are many accounts which vividly provide clear evidence on the reasons why King Sir Mwanawina cursed the Lozis in Zambia. It was not only in Mwanawina’s reign that the Wina brothers , Kononso , Sipalo and other UNIP elements caused trouble, even in Mbikusita’s time they resurfaced as you will see from the following thrilling accounts of Batuke Imenda , a son of a
Barotse official(Imenda Sibandi , Induna Mukulu wa kashiko) at the time:
-In his loyal service to Mulonga, Imenda Sibandi put his neck on the chopping board during the Sekeli Konoso rebellion against Mwanawina.
-Imenda Sibandi risked his life in a near Mwanawina overthrow led by Nalumino Mundia, Lyatitima and Sikota Wina in 1963 in Limulunga.
-From 1951 to 1965, an illiterate Sibandi rarely stayed in Libonda. He was ever called to Lealui to defend the rocky Mwanawina reign.
-The Mbikusita new reign came with its own challenges that led to Sibandi’s transfer from Libonda to Lealui. Again, the same click in the likes of Lyatitima, Sikota, Ñutuluti, Mukuni etc caused havoc.
-These sacrifices were undertaken by a man who was in internal exile, prepared to die for his masters.
On his death bed, Induna Imenda sensed the “sitoyo sa bana ba Wina” in our eyes, against Mulonga and his last words were:
“Ilukui, Sibandi, Numwa and Batuke, my time is nigh, but as I go to join my ancestors, never should any of the products of my loins stand to destroy the institution of Mulonga. I passed through trials and tribulations with you but that should never be the reason for you to fight a system you belong to by blood… one day a God appointed ruler of Barotseland will correct this mis-endevour.”
10 minutes later he was no more. That was on 27th August 1985.
As we stand to watch and see history
unfold, we will continue to stand by our father’s words.
Among Mbikusita’s sworn enemies were Mupatu, Walubita Mukele Walubita, Muimui Anakandi, Silumelume Mubukwanu Lyatitima, Nakatindi Yeta, Mutau Nalubutu, Lifunana Akabeswa and his young brother Imasiku Akabeswa from within the traditional establishment and of course, the UNIP clique.
There are other narratives which implicate Mukwae Nakatindi Yeta as being part of the this click .She wasnt. She found herself alienated from the centre of Barotse govefnance after her father’s rein and especially after her elder sister Mulima was succeeded by her near agemate and cousin Makwibi Mwanawina. When UNIP was allowed to operate in Barotseland in 1960, she was recruited as a star in their ranks. Many of the Barorse nationals who jumped
on the UNIP band wagon were motivated by anti Barotseland and anti Mwanawina agenda. Mbikusita Lewanika soon became their number one enemy because of full backing and assisting Litunga Mwanawina whom they wanted to isolate and weaken even at the cost of destroying Barotsekand. They teamed up well with Northern Rhodesian UNIP who had their own reasons for demonising MBIKUSITA. But this agenda was most passionately carried out by Barotse nationals. The plight of Barotseland is caused and maintained by Barotse people … not by Kaunda or Bembas or anybody other than ourselves. However, Mukwae Nakatindi tried not to be engaged in overtly anti Barotseland, anti Mwanawina and anti Mbikusita campigns . But her name and presence in UNIP was capitalised towards that end.
Again,one day in 1963, a rumour spread that Mbikusita was back from Rhodesia
. The UNIPs and traditionalists led by Mundia and Sipalo descended on Lealui, specifically to attack Mbikusita. As they went round the capital, they sang the song “eee Mbikusita ki ndonki ya makuwa.” As a decoy, acting Ngambela Imenda decided to hide Mbikusita in his house (the current ruined Mukola house in Lealui). It was then advised that for safety purposes, Mbikusita be shifted to another hide out, a house belonging to a Ma-Nawa Musialela – Mrs Lingomba. Around 20.00 hrs after the first Mwenduko was sounded, our house was surrounded by UNIPists. The fight ensued, but the Indunas came out victorious. Among the casualties was Mupatu, who ended up in the hospital. He was brought to Lusaka R. M. Mukuni and thereupon, hatred started.
In November 1968, the said group ganged around Lealui spreading the word that “Mbikusita aki mwana a Lewanika.” At this point, Batuke Imenda bravely told
Francis Lishomwa Suu when he was displaying open fear that “…nikoba lata nikoba salati lutamu yolisa. Luta palelwa kueza cwalo abatalu bonisa ndatahe!”
Later on , a 1969 Lozi language newspaper, Liseli (light), reported Litunga Lewanika II (Mbikusita-wa-Lewanika) stating that:
“Do not be stressed and disheartened
Do not be stressed and disheartened, by confusion and lose talk in the land
Our faith and hope is set upon God
Those fighting us are our off springs and our in-laws But, whoever sticks his own finger into his own eye, he shall regret later.”
This was in first anniversary public address to the Kuta on N’ulule 6, 1969, at Lealui,
Barotseland.
The message is that these challenges, which are not entirely external, should not lead to surrendering into despair. These challenges should guide toward recognising and keeping faith that these challenges can be overcome. They are usually and fundamentally most likely to be self-inflicted. Therefore, these challenges can be overcome by victim people’s own consciousness, awareness and effort.
Mu sike mwa Bilaezwa
DO NOT BE STRESSED AND DISHEARTENED
“Musisike mwa bilaezwa ki ze kalauka mwa naha.
DONOT BE STRESSED AND DISHEARTENED, BY CONFUSION AND LOSE TALK IN THE LAND
Sepo ya luna lu ibeile ku mulumo.
OUR FAITH AND HOPE IS SET UPON GOD
Ba ba lu lwanisa ki bana ba luna ba ku pepa niba bal u nyalezi.
THOSE FIGHTING US ARE OUR OFF SPRINGS AND OUR IN-LAWS
Kono ya I Kenya mumwana mwa lito ili yena, kwa pili u ta inyaza.”
BUT, WHOEVER STICKS HIS OWN FINGER INTO HIS OWN EYE, HE SHALL REGRET LATER
Now , there are different versions of the exact words that King Sir Mwanawina uttered when he cursed. Some say he uttered:
“Manyukunyuku bomu bata kuyo kopana nibona, ba, bata mifetubela mi, bata yo minyandisa. ”
The other one is:
“Malozi nakoye mwaipusa kono mubata
kuli muto buswa ki batu basili. Kwapata mukabe muni hupule.”
Whatever the case, Here we are. Barotseland is the poorest and they even want to obliterate it from history. It is also clear how this curse is affecting those fighting against Barotseland.
For instance, Nalumino Mundia was told that, “wena mane bata sana bayo kubulaya basa Kona feela kuinga zeba bata”. True to his curse, Nalumino Mundia’s life is believed to have been cut short by KK.
In addition, the King also gave some direct words to the wina brothers: “you are young and naive. You will try by all means to buy yourselves into their acceptance, but there shall be a time when they will reject you”. True to this curse, The two brothers were the darling of UNIP & Manyukunyuku until the KK’s time came to an end. With all his best qualities,
Arthur Ñutuluti Lubinda Wina was rejected for a street wise crook by the name of Frederick Chiluba .
It’s also worth noting that, Fredrick Namakando Mumembe used his post newspapers to influence every Zambian to hate Barotseland. Today, the party he campaigned so hard to put in Power, has closed his post newspapers, not because of promoting prejudices against Lozis and BA1964, but because Sir Mwanawina cursed those who betray Barotseland.
This therefore implies that we need to be cautious of where we are standing in this battle, you may attract curses on yourself.
More information on this can be found in books which documented events that occurred during the 1960-68 period.
Gerald Kopland, in his book published in 1968, The Elites Of Barotseland, also gives other examples.
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