The three Iscariots—Going against the wind at every mile

by Mampi Ńundamai

The trio Indunas comprising of Kalonga (Lubasi Nalishua), Katema (Mowa Zambwe) and Isineke Namuyamba (Dominic Lisulo), commonly referred to as the ‘Three Iscariots’, are having an uphill battle on their ill-fated mission of touring Barotseland and trying to lure all the regional Kutas to support their newfound policy of political harlotry with the oppressive Zambian regime as highlighted in their much publicized ‘Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) Policy Statement’.   Reports in the public domain indicate that they did not have it easy at the Libonda Kuta where they were told that the people and the Kuta stood behind their BNC Resolution of 2012 and the strides made by the Barotse people through the Barotse National Freedom Alliance (BNFA). In Mwandi, they had a rude shock as the people and the Kuta had no kind words for them. They were told openly that they are perceived as traitors who have sold their souls to the enemy. It came as no surprise that the three Iscariots were chauffeur driven by an oppressive regime driver in an oppressive regime vehicle. It is now abundantly clear that the embattled BRE is receiving financial handouts—talk time, ream of A4 bond paper and occasional gallons of gasoline—from the oppressive Zambian regime in exchange for disrupting and derailing Barotseland’s quest for self-determination. This is as cheap as these Iscariots can be. Underlying this cheapness is their imaginary fear of arrest and killing by their oppressor, shivering in fear to the core of their bone by day and night.   The three Iscariots would have received their matching experience at the Naliele Kuta in Kaoma had a huge crowd of activists (youths, women and men) swarmed the Royal Village to give them a good lesson in no uncertain terms, with no kind words nor kid’s gloves. The situation was saved by the timely intervention of some key Indunas who pleaded with the activists to restrain from undertaking such action. In so doing, the Naliele Kuta inadvertently deprived itself an opportunity to show the embattled BRE that they no longer carry the support nor represent the interests of the people of Barotseland.   The three Iscariots arrived in Kaoma on Thursday, 7th January 2016 and insisted to meet Senior Chief Imukena before the Kuta, which is contrary Barotseland protocol, tradition and custom. Protocol demands that they be cleared by the Kuta before seeing the Senior Chief. Accordingly, the Kuta stood its ground.   The showdown took place the following day on Friday 8th January, when the three Iscariots presented their mission to the Naliele Kuta ya Mboo. Their mission was to turn the heart of the Kuta from the 2012 BNC Resolutions, discredit the BNC Resolutions as a Sinyinda affair, who is now the leader of the BNFA and representing the people of Barotseland in the case of the “the People of Barotseland v. the Republic of Zambia before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights following the withdrawal of the embattled BRE from the case, and try to open doors for the renegotiation of restoring the Barotseland Agreement 1964, which the Zambian regime unilaterally abrogated in 1969 and omitted in their newly enacted municipal Constitution on 5th January 2016. The Naliele Kuta gave them a hard time, bombarding them with questions which they could not answer. After hours of deliberations the Kuta read out their dozen plus resolutions, key among which were that Naliele Kuta:     As the session was drawing to a close, a team of activists: Mt. W. M. Situtu, T. Yambwa, N. Mulolo and P. Akamonwa stormed the proceedings it in order to express the views of the people of Kaoma. This was contrary to the advice of Naliele key Indunas. The activists attempted to be part of the deliberations. Due to limited space in the Kuta and the fact that the meeting was coming to a close, they could not be allowed in.   As ta duo of the three Iscariots were being ushered into the Kashandi to meet the Senior Chief Amukena, the Activits had an opportunity to have a session with one of them who could not present himself before the Senior Chief due to traditional restriction forbiding someone who was part of funeral procession from seeing the Litunga or the Senior Chief. The victim was Induna Isineke Namuyamba in the presence of Induna Imusho (Mt. Singemba) from Naliele. He was thoroughly grilled and told-off, in no uncertain terms, that that the people of Barotseland will not take kindly to the maneuvers of the embattled BRE aimed at trying to disrupt and derail the process towards the total independence of Barotseland. They emphasised that the people of Barotseland revere the March 2012 BNC Resolutions and will not allow the embattled Namuso (Litunga and BRE Indunas) to trivialize the Resolutions, pointing out that the event will stand out in the history of Barotseland next in significance only to the Grand Pitzo called by Lewanika himself in 1906.   The three Iscariots tried in vain to discredit the 2012 BNC, stating that after all it was not held within the Royal Village. They were reminded that the BNC was preceded by a Privy Council whose main purpose was to approve the BNC agenda and proceedings, which was further followed by another Privy Council which endorsed the Resolutions thereby reflecting the Litunga’s assent of the same. In addition, the fact that all the Chiefs, Kutas, Lilalos and Activists, including prominent and eminent Barotse people were present made the BNC to stand out and turned the grounds upon which the meeting was held more sacred than the Royal Village itself. Iscariot Induna Isineke Namuyamba magnanimously acknowledged the courage of the activists and the high caliber and quality of the Naliele Kuta—for had it not been for them, he and the other duo, would not have been alive. The Iscariots duo, who presented themselves before the Senior Chief, received similar grilling.   The three Iscariots were scheduled to travel to Namuyula Kuta in Lukulu. However, our inquiries revealed that the trip was aborted due to the unrest that engulfed Lukulu, which resulted into a riot that brought down the Lukulu occupying Zambia police station.   Intelligence reports show that the tour by the three Iscariot Indunas was funded by the occupying Zambian regime, representing nothing but a simply smoke screen to cover the release of a deceptive report that would purport that the Kutas of Barotseland and Activists are in agreement with the embattled BRE to renegotiate the BA’64 with the intent to restore it. In this regard, the embattled BRE is ready to forge the signatures of the interested stakeholders to that effect. Meanwhile, highly placed sources within the embattled BRE indicate that the mission of the three Iscariots was their own private affair, acting on instructions from the embattled Litunga as well as a campaign gimmick of Mr. Edgar Changwa Lungu in order for him to win cheap votes from Barotseland as ALL past Presidents from the failed unitary state of Zambia had done. It has nothing to do with the rest of the Namuso Kuta, who are simply victims of circumstances. In their defense, they pointed out that both the Saa and Sikalo Kutas were on recess from 15th December 2015 to 25th January 2016 during which they are not expected to be execute official duties.   Clearly, the wind of Barotseland statehood is blowing, especially with the onset of the year 2016. The Barotse have gone into high gear and nothing can stand in their way. Whatever stands in their way shall be uprooted and thrown out of the way, root, trunk and branches—whereby stumbling blocks shall turned into stepping stones. The three Iscariots are advised not continue going against the wind in order to avoid being run over. For whoever stands in the way and whoever they represent shall be run over. The three Iscariots should thank the alert Naliele Kuta for breathing the hot air, without which they would have been no more.