Barotseland reforms—a matter of urgency to achieve sovereignty

by Saleya Kwalombota

Barotseland people have already exercised their right to governance by self-rule through the Barotse National Council Resolutions of March 2012, which are in line with internationally acceptable standard. The people of Barotseland should not tire to organize themselves as they move forward with the idea to form diplomatic and legal wings to support the political action at both international and local levels. Barotseland shall be respected only if we are feared or reckoned as a political force. This is achievable through selfless leadership and reforms that must provide for a Constitutional Monarch of the Westminster type of parliament.

Barotseland’s weakness is found in her people’s non-involvement in selecting of her Indunas (councillors) or leadership. Following Barotseland's historic Barotse National Council (BNC) of 2012, nothing has changed in the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) in terms of re-introducing her old age democratic governance structures and systems and moving a step further in modernizing it. It is not surprising that the BRE is still cherishing and practicing the ancient and antiquated method of nomination of Indunas introduced by Kaunda. This system is defective because it favors the royalty and the aristocrats who are in the minority against majority commoners.

We must bear in mind that the ideals of modern democracies find its highest fulfilment and justification in the citizen’s right to participation in governance (government of the people), not want the current system in place offers the people of Barotseland. Barotseland to move in a right direction needs representative government through elected deputies by universal suffrage, which the Kaunda regime illegally abolished the Katengo (Legislative Council) in 1969 and replaced it with nominated Indunas.

Undoubtedly, the reigning Litunga and his self-appointed Indunas are highly conservative and protective. They shun democracy, are possessive and opposed to progressive ideas of modernization in order to avoid transparency, checks and balances. The BRE is well known as the main stumbling block because of its lukewarm or outright opposition to political organizations and reforms has frustrated Barotse liberation politics in many ways.

Many would agree that the BRE is an institution that suppresses the wishes of the masses expressed through the BNC 2012 in return for maintaining a living museum. The people of Barotseland opted for sovereign Barotseland with calls for complete and serious reforms to our ancient system of governance to bring it in line with modern democratic practices; otherwise Barotseland's walk to freedom shall forever remain a political pipe dream and it will go down in history as the territory wiped off the surface of Africa by the republic of Zambia through perversion of her ancient system.

In order to make our independence struggle attractive to the general populace and friends of Barotseland, reforms are paramount. Further, reforms are necessary because ancient methods of government are outdated. In this regard, it is prudent to re-introduce our democratic system, which should be modernized in response to changed circumstances.

The Westminster parliamentary system is ideal for Barotseland modernization to subject all Induna positions to elections at all levels. This will bring in the much needed cream of quality leadership through competitiveness in the governance of our affairs. The notion that Indunaship is for retired relatives and friends of the Litunga must be done away with. Elected representatives of the people must also be remunerated adequately.