Referendum definitely not for the Barotse
by Jonathan K. Kwalombota
The Barotseland Agreement 1964 was nailed to the cross using a 90 pound sledge hammer of the constitution Amendment Act No. 5 of 1969 by the Kaunda regime. It is NOW A DEAD ISSUE. All the Barotse who dared question why the government then (even subsequent ones) took that path, were mysteriously killed, arrested and tortured with the lucky ones ignored or condemned. It has since become treasonable to talk about an international Treaty that was signed in good faith by one party—Barotseland and in bad faith by the other—then Northern Rhodesia, which is now Zambia. As it where, Zambia is a signatory to many United Nations instruments, including “Freedom of speech” but not on the issue of Barotseland statehood except for those who do not hail from Barotseland, especially when they seek Barotseland VOTE to enhance their insatiable appetite for power as was the case at the recent presidential elections on 20th January 2015. The two Doctors—Dr. Nevers Mumba and Dr. L. Sondashi –campaigned freely using the dead BA’64. However, if it were a “Barotse” they would end-up at Kabwe maximum prison where our brothers are incarcerated demanding what belongs to them. What a Christian nation? The three church mother bodies are quiet amidst these injustices; they are busy praying to hypotenuse the oppressed Barotse. Psalms 12, 1-2. Now that the oppressed people of Barotseland decided to accept the abrogation by Zambia of the BA’64 through their historic BNC of March 2012 and now we hear calls for referendum from Zambia. This raises several questions: (a) Where were the Zambians when Kaunda abrogated the BA’64? (b) Whom did Kaunda consult and why wasn’t a referendum held to determine the future fate of the country? (c) Are Zambians aware that at independence in 1964, Barotseland did not cede its sovereignty to Zambia? (d) Do Zambians appreciate that the unitary state that “NEVER WAS” was founded on the terminated Agreement? If it was allowed to stay, it would have provided the basis of our harmonious co-existence. (e) Do Zambian understand that those in need of referendum are those staying on concessioned Barotse territories who will make a decision of where they wish to go after the actualization of Barotseland statehood? (f) Do Zambians understand that governance in Barotseland is NOT top-heavy hence the holding of the BNC 2012 which accepted the “divorce” from Zambia referred above? (g) Do the Zambians understand and know that, the Barotse, by their peaceful nature, are the ones who have kept Zambia peaceful under extreme provocation following the abrogation of the very Treaty that bound the two territories? (h) Do Zambians understand that the diabolic, provocative, lackadaisical behaviour of the Kaunda over BA’64 cannot be allowed to re-surface through a referendum? (i) Do Zambians know that Barotseland has been a nation as far back as 1800? (j) Do Zambians know that Barotseland-North Western Rhodesia was a British protectorate whilst they, themselves (North Eastern Rhodesia) were colonised by the British government? (k) Are Zambians aware that prior to attaining Zambia’s independence, the group that went to England to seek independence (that included chief Chikwanda) were denied audience with her Majesty the Queen because none of them had a country? They were told ONLY KING LEWANIKA’s presence (one with a country) could be heard hence their shameful return and their going to plead with Sir Mwanawina who became a king maker for Zambia's independence. (l) By extending an olive branch of friendship and brotherhood through the NOW dead BA’64, why pay us back with arrests and killings? Why NOT leave us alone as we were prior to that Agreement which had given you jurisdiction over our land? Don’t you know that our sovereignty is indispensable? and. (m) Are Zambians NOT tired of shedding the Barotse blood? Why treat us like ISRAELITES under PHARAOH? What PLAGUE should the Almighty GOD inflict ON YOU TO LET US GO? WHY and WHY DON’T YOU LISTEN?ZAMBIANS, PLEASE, LEAVE US BE, FOR WE ARE A SEPARATE STATE FROM YOU!