Those Who Believe—A poem from Imenda
by Sitwala Namwinji Imenda
Barotseland shall be free Barotseland shall be free Set free by those who believe That Barotseland should have been free since 1969 When she was constitutionally expelled from Zambia But prevented from forming government by Zambian security forces Set free by those who believe That Barotseland has been under Zambian servitude since 1969 When she was constitutionally expelled from Zambia But prevented from forming government by Zambian security forces Set free by those who believe That Barotseland has been under Zambian slavery since 1969 When she was constitutionally expelled from Zambia But prevented from forming government by Zambian security forces Set free by those who believe That Barotseland has been under Zambian bondage since 1969 When she was constitutionally expelled from Zambia But prevented from forming government by Zambian security forces Set free by those who believe That Barotseland has been under Zambian enslavement since 1969 When she was constitutionally expelled from Zambia But prevented from forming government by Zambian security forces Set free by those who believe That Barotseland has been under siege since 1969 When she was constitutionally expelled from Zambia But prevented from forming government by Zambian security forces Set free by those who believe That Barotseland has a life of her own Among the nations of the world Set free by those who believe That Barotseland ought to be counted Among the nations of the world Set free by those who believe That Barotseland’s independence is inevitable Just as in the times of colonialism Freedom was won through the sweat and toil of those who believed That a white man could actually be defeated Those who did not believe, laughed and scoffed at those who believed And dined with the colonialists Just like in the times of apartheid Non-believers thought it was impossible to defeat the apartheid regime With all it power and might With all its ruthlessness and viciousness With all its brutality and ferocity With all its cruelty and barbarity With all its harshness and bloodthirstiness With all its callousness and inhumaneness With all its rancorousness and venomousness With all its spitefulness and hurtfulness With all its violence and malice With all its unkindness and meanness With all its fierceness and brutishness With all its ferociousness and wildness With all its sadism and barbarism With all its heartlessness and nastiness With all its inhumanity and immorality With all its savagery and wickedness With all its money and wealth With all its propaganda and dishonesty With all its pomposity and arrogance But those who believed fought on And, in the end, prevailed Successive Zambian governments Have been wicked and dishonest Successive Zambian governments Have been brutal and ferocious Successive Zambian governments Have been cruel and barbaric Successive Zambian governments Have been harsh and bloodthirsty Successive Zambian governments Have been callous and inhumane Successive Zambian governments Have been rancorous and venomous Successive Zambian governments Have been spiteful and hurtful Successive Zambian governments Have been violent and malicious Successive Zambian governments Have been unkind and mean Successive Zambian governments Have been fierce and brutish Successive Zambian governments Have been ferocious and wild Successive Zambian governments Have been sadistic and barbaric Successive Zambian governments Have been heartless and nasty Successive Zambian governments Have been inhumane and immoral Successive Zambian governments Have been savagery cruel Successive Zambian governments Have been pompous and arrogant But Barotseland shall be free Set free by those who believe That Barotseland is a sovereign State How beautiful The thought of all Lozi members of the Zambian parliament Suddenly believing In the resolutions of the Barotse National Council 2012 In the glory and serenity of a sovereign Barotseland Their Motherland Their Fatherland How beautiful The thought of all Lozi members of Zambian political parties Suddenly believing In the resolutions of the Barotse National Council 2012 In the glory and serenity of a sovereign Barotseland Their Motherland Their Fatherland How beautiful The thought of all Lozi members of UNIP Suddenly believing In the resolutions of the Barotse National Council 2012 In the glory and serenity of a sovereign Barotseland Their Motherland Their Fatherland How beautiful The thought of all Lozi members of UPND Suddenly believing In the resolutions of the Barotse National Council 2012 In the glory and serenity of a sovereign Barotseland Their Motherland Their Fatherland How beautiful The thought of all Lozi members of MMD Suddenly believing In the resolutions of the Barotse National Council 2012 In the glory and serenity of a sovereign Barotseland Their Motherland Their Fatherland How beautiful The thought of all Lozi members of ADD Suddenly believing In the resolutions of the Barotse National Council 2012 In the glory and serenity of a sovereign Barotseland Their Motherland Their Fatherland How beautiful The thought of all Lozi members of PF Suddenly believing In the resolutions of the Barotse National Council 2012 In the glory and serenity of a sovereign Barotseland Their Motherland Their Fatherland Kopano ki maata Let us all honour the pride and glory of our Motherland Our Fatherland Barotseland Let us all stand for the aspirations of Barotseland And her people Let us all work for the aspirations of Barotseland And her people Kopano ki maata Fighting together Barotseland shall be free Set free by those who believe Those who believe in Barotseland Those who believe in the pride, honour and glory of Barotseland Those who believe in the economic potential of Barotseland Those who believe in the social prowess of Barotseland Those who believe in the physical beauty of Barotseland Those who believe in the natural resources of Barotseland Those who believe in the mineral resources of Barotseland Those who believe in the human resources of Barotseland Those who believe in the soul of Barotseland Those who believe in themselves Those who believe in their collective abilities To rescue Barotseland from the jaws of greed Those who believe in salvaging Barotseland’s yet unlaundered natural resources From the forces of evil Those who believe In recovering Barotseland From the ashes of destruction Those who believe In raising Barotseland from the ashes of destitution To becoming a splendid beauty among beauties Those who believe In raising Barotseland from the ashes of devastation To becoming a flourishing democracy Those who believe In raising Barotseland from the ashes of deprivation To becoming a fabulous economic powerhouse Those who believe In raising Barotseland from the ashes of privation To a magnificent social hub Those who believe In raising Barotseland from the ashes of demolition To becoming an envy of the SADC region Those who believe In raising Barotseland from the ashes of obliteration To becoming splendour of the African continent And the grandeur of Mother Earth God, bless Barotseland.