Linyungandambo writes is support of Hon. Sinyinda's letter to Zambia's new President Lungu Sata
Linyungandambo
Livingstone Chapter
Livingstone
30th January 2015 Hon. Clement W. Sinyinda Chairperson General BNFA, Mongu Barotseland Dear Hon. Sinyinda,THE VOICE OF LIVINGSTONE IN SUPPORT OF HON. SINYINDA
Hon. Chairperson General, we wish to continue appreciating your tireless and tangible strides in bringing the issue of Barotseland Agreement 1964 to the fore without fear or favor. Your recent communiqué to Zambia ‘s newly elected President , His Excellence Mr. Edgar Changwa Lungu, is yet another exemplary and parental commitment BNFA has timely exhibited under your able leadership. Arising from the pertinent issues you profoundly itemized in your communiqué, we wish to take this opportunity, first and foremost, to join you in congratulating Mr. Lungu for successfully ascending to the highest office in the failed unitary state of Zambia. We agree with you that Mr. Lungu‘s assumption of this office gives him a rare opportunity for his acumen to be tested over the failed unitary state vis-a-vis actualization of Barotseland statehood. Being a legal mind, we are optimistic that he will be at liberty to engage the Kingdom of Barotseland into constructive and humane dialogue that will take into consideration the concerns that have crippled Barotseland’s social, economic and political development. Therefore, Mr. Lungu’s deposition in Addis Ababa that it is time that Zambia should objectively engage the Kingdom of Barotseland over the BA’64 was long overdue. In view of this disposition, we suggest that the parameter of this engagement should be well established so that the process may not end up into ethnicity because the BA’64 was not about tribes or language but an issue that was between two nations. We, therefore, wish to remind the Zambian Republican President that when his predecessor Dr. Kenneth Kaunda went to negotiate for a unitary state, he never negotiated with any ethnic group but a nation called Barotseland. So as it was in the beginning, let it be so even in the end—as the disengagement process commences. We are, therefore, confident that as a lawyer Mr. Lungu will not find it challenging to appreciate the fact that his engaging Barotseland should be on a firm basis of nation to nation. The other salient issue that the President may wish to understand, through BNFA and indeed BRE,is that his engagement is post Barotse National Council 2012 resolutions and our anticipation is that the role of BRE will simply be to draw his attention to where BNFA reached with the late President Mr. Sata in order for him to pick it from there, as clearly articulated in the communiqué. This is so because all was said and done in the 2012 BNC resolutions and the way forward for Bulozi is clear—SELF-DETERMINATION and SELF-RULE. In addition, we wish to implore BNFA, to as usual, to use this opportunity to take a prudent position over President Lungu’s intent. In fact we are of the view that through BNFA, BRE should seek the indulgence of our international law firm—duguÉ& kirtley aarpi in this matter. Above all, whether His Excellence Mr. Lungu’s position over the Barotse issue is well intentional or not, it is huts off to BNFA for the timely communiqué and step in the right direction. Livingstone is highly motivated. However, should the issues raised in the communiqué not be attended to in time, we expect BNFA to proceed with appropriate next steps. Mun’aka, may the pacific struggle continue and may GOD bless the Kingdom of Barotseland. KOZO SHA. Signed George Akufuna Chairperson Signed Sikobela Sikobela Secretary