EMBATTLED LUBOSI CAUGHT-UP IN HIS OWN WEB OF DECEIT
by Maoyo Nanikelako
The embattled and nomadic Litunga Edwin Lubosi Imwiko II has, secretly as usual, left the Kingdom of Barotseland for his chosen roaming life in either Lusaka or Chisamba, Zambia. He left on 21st November 2015 soon after ‘welcoming’ Hakainde Hichilema (HH), whose visit he had eagerly awaited, in order to receive the iniquitous mystic brown envelope. Rumours are awash about the high gear plans to restore the defunct Barotseland Agreement 1964, which President Edgar Lungu (ECL) of Zambia, is now earnestly pursuing to forestall heightened calls for the actualization of Barotseland statehood from the failed unitary arrangement called Zambia. It must be noted that the embattled and ambivalent Edwin has started double-blinding HH and ECL for stakes after the 2016 elections. Edwin fancies himself as James Bond, the celebrated surreptitious double agent. Indeed, Barotseland has a high stake in holding a fabled Zambia together. A Zambian President must court a Litunga, to keep Barotseland in the failed unitary state of Zambia. A compromised Litunga is the only thin cord holding Zambia together. It is time the Barotse brought to an end this unholy pact between ECL and Edwin. It is again rumoured that Edwin plans to install, without authority, two Liñomboti (Royal shrine keepers)—Akashambatwa of Imwambo and Imbwae of Ikatulamwa, and later enthrone a puppet new Ngambela after his nondescript wandering. He had earlier removed the two Liñomboti in blatant violation of Barotse tradition, custom and procedure. Edwin has realized the folly of his diabolic errors in dismissing and installing king makers, whom he has no power to remove and install. The two Liñomboti can only be removed when they violate custom and tradition by the people who installed them after following due procedure. The Litunga has neither hand nor authority in this intricate process. Without the two, Edwin has dismally paralysed and rendered the entire elaborate Lozi governance system dysfunctional. As it stands, the purportedly removed Liñomboti are in actual fact still holding their positions. They have only fallen out of favour with Edwin over his incessant violation of Lozi customs and traditions, which they tried to correct in vain. Edwin has indeed abdicated the throne on his own. He has neglected tradition and custom, and broken taboo after taboo. He has abandoned the interminable capital at Lealui. He has failed to run an effective governance structure. He is indeed caught-up and destroyed by his own web of deceit. He is completely isolated. Edwin has lost the moral and legitimate right to be the Litunga of Barotseland. He has lost control of Barotseland. Barotseland has lost confidence and trust in him. He is only still in the palace because of Zambia Police. But time has run out for him. He should just pack up and go.