by BNFA Mongu Region

We, the undersigned, members of BNFA under the leadership of Mongu Region hereby rise to bravely condemn the recent political events engineered by the Zambian government by sowing seeds of disunity among the 38 tribes of Barotseland against each other:

Riding on this platform, we here lay bare the following unfortunate events:

Brief history about the past peace and harmony enjoyed by the tribes living in Barotseland before the independence of Zambia in 1964

We wish to remind some people who may not be conversant with the history of Barotseland, that since time centuries ago the 38 tribes living in Barotseland have lived in peace and harmony under the leadership of the Kings of Barotseland even before the whites came. Never was it heard of a tribe creating disunity against another tribe. The tribes lived side by side and respected the Litunga without impunity. We ate and drank together as one people under our Kings and Chiefs. But it is heart-breaking now to observe that the Zambian governments are jealousy of the harmony our fore-fathers built within the tribes for the betterment of future generations in Barotseland.

With the above situation in our minds we of Mongu Region, here wish to highlight to you the unfortunate events seen to accumulate on daily basis and that these evil events are being sponsored by the Zambian government:

1. Beating-up of the dethroned Mweene Chiengele: The Zambia government had interfered in the culture, customs and traditions of the people of Barotseland, through their Courts. The Barotse government had dethroned Mweene Chiyengele Nyumbu but the government interfered in this matter and overruled the decision of the Royal Court of Barotseland and in this way has interfered in the traditional governance of the local people and consequently rendering the powers of the King null and void. Because of this interference, suffice to state that this led to scuffles, which resulted in the beating of the dethroned Mweene Chiyengele.

2. Denial to bury chief Kahare in Kaoma: The Zambian government had a strong influence behind this sad affair because it has placed full support to the person they have appointed to take over as chief Kahare thereby bringing discontent within the people and perpetuating to dishonor and fight against the Litunga.

OUR POSITION

As Mongu Region of the BNFA we categorically state the following:

1. 1. We shall not take kind to the Zambian political parties or individual who shall be seen aspiring to disrespect the King of Barotseland by making this Royal institution of the Litunga into a public ridicule and disrepute in-order to win votes from our poverty stricken people.
2. 2. The Zambian government in its political agenda must refrain from engineering actions which are based on divide and rule political agenda against the tribes of Barotseland by giving financial support to some factions in a certain tribe in order to create discontent in Barotseland.
3. 3. The Zambian government must stop sponsoring some individuals, chiefs and some Indunas in Barotseland so that they can steer trouble and make the Litunga fail to govern his subjects properly.
4. 4. The Zambian government has appended its signature to many international treaties concerning Human Rights but it has for a long time now continued to bring untold miseries to the people of Barotseland instead of development, we therefore call upon the international community to stop giving budgetary support to this government. The money which the International community gives the Zambian government is merely used to intimidate our people and pay their agents whose agenda is to bring disunity among the tribes of Barotseland.
5. 5. We take this opportunity to lobby for financial and material support for the BNFA from the international communality so that it can be able to protect the King and support the self-determination work of Barotseland in accordance with resolutions of Barotse National Council of 26^th 27^th March 2012.
6. The Zambian government must be shameful of itself based on the following revelations:

• By closing PADC a project meant to create 15,000 jobs in Barotseland you are continuing atrocities against the people by denying them employment opportunities.
• By giving support to the self-ordained chief Mweene Mutondo you are again seen to continue disrespecting the Litunga and belittle the authority of Senior Chief Amukena of Kaoma. The two highest offices in Zambia, during the Mangango bye-election trails were seen making courtesy calls on this self-ordained Mweene Mutondo and ignored to give the same courtesy call on Senior Chief Amukena of Kaoma.
• By supporting certain chiefs and individuals who want to cede from Barotseland and creating a so called Kafue province in Zambia as well as promising to elevate chief Mutondo to the rank of Paramount Chief within the promised Kafue province, you are guilty of eradicating Barotseland from the international map.

ADVICE TO THE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT

We also want to take this opportunity to advice the Zambian government to refrain from bringing disunity among the people of Barotseland because the day of reckoning is coming near whereby those who illegally rule Barotseland now shall be made to answer for their wrong doing in the International Courts.

CONCLUSION

1. We, the people of Mongu Region under BNFA, are ready to protect the King as per our resolution to bring independence to Barotseland.
2. We call upon the Mulonga to make a PIZO (National Call) to all Senior Chiefs and people of Barotseland to cement and determine our call for a final destine, before the Zambian government disfranchise us from our motherland.
3. We also call upon the international community, specifically the UN to closely monitor the Zambian government and give support to the people of Barotseland in their call to self-determination.
4. We call upon men, women and the youth, the freedom fighters and all stakeholders to respond to the PIZO in big numbers without fear because our fight is a noble cause for our life and that of our children.
5. We call upon to Zambian government to respect their constitution which they assented to on 5^th January, 2016 and stop interfering in the traditions and customs of its citizens and respect the dignity of Barotseland people.
6. We demand that the Zambian government should with immediate effect stop political elections in Barotseland because it has no mandate to do so legally. Zambia has abrogated the Barotseland Agreement of 1964 and, therefore, it has no legal authority over Barotseland. Zambia has chicken out to sign the International Court of Arbitration summons which was maint to determine if at all Zambia has legal mandate to rule Barotseland without the Barotseland Agreement 1964 in place.

SIGNED