By Kangwanda Mucembele
After Zambian government failure to steal and grab the entire Barotse plains through using UNESCO under the declaration of the Barotse plains as World heritage site.
All Senior Chiefs, districts BRE Kutas and generally the people rejected the proposal which was going to sent and pack the people living in the plains into poverty. Though efforts are still underway with heavy financial muscle sponsoring some few BRE Indunas to continue lobbying for the support of the declaration.
It’s not a secret , the Barotse Plains that starts from Lukulu up to Livingstone has Gold, water bodies, farming field for rice, millet, maize, fish, salt, animals, Royal burial sites, historical sites , Diamonds, Oil, gas, rivers , swamps , canals, forests, islands and two national parks.
The Zambian government through the ZCCM-IH has brought a company that wants to mine Diamonds and Oil in Barotseland. And the Barotse Royal Establishment is demanding about 55% of shares in each from the stake.
The talks are still going on as the districts Kutas have rejected the opening of mine and all of them are demanding for a fair share from the mine.
Senior chiefs, area Indunas have disclosed that, this time around there is no way the Litunga Lubosi Imwiko II is going to individually benefit like he did with Iiuwa national park. The district Kutas have called for the accountability in the operating of the affairs of Barotseland because it belongs to all of the Lozi speaking people not an individual or a group of people.
Sikongo, Kalabo, Shangombo, Mongu and Limulunga districts are the areas where the operations will be set.