WE used to move freely but now we have to look over our shoulders, we have to verify the tribe of the other person before you engage anyone in a conversation.
These were the words of some ordinary Zambians whose opinion I sought over the burning issue of tribalism which has taken centre stage in the 2021 Presidential and General elections.
The problem we have with all the discussions that have taken place regarding tribalism is that people are evading or refusing to call a spade a spade. So much has been said about the efforts of the late first President of the Republic of Zambia Dr Kenneth David Kaunda to unite this nation under one Zambia one nation.
There is no argument that Dr Kaunda tried to unite this country, but what people should look at are the facts that have brought us where we are. Let us use history to liberate our minds.
independent kingdoms and chiefdoms
The people of this country lived as independent kingdoms and chiefdoms before the colonialists forcibly put us into two countries called North Eastern Zambia and North Western Zambia which later became Northern Rhodesia and the Protectorate of Barotseland.
In colonial times, all the tribes lived peacefully under the imperial power of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, her successor His Majesty King George V and his successor Queen Elizabeth who is still the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom and Head of the Commonwealth.
Perhaps we lived together that peacefully because of oppression or maybe due to the fact that we had one common enemy; the white colonial masters.
When black Northern Rhodesians and the people of Barotseland decided to fight for their freedom from the colonial yoke, they came together under the Northern Rhodesia African National Congress. The first leader of the ANC in Northern Rhodesia was Goodwin Mbikusita Lewanika who would later become the Litunga of Barotseland.
The man who succeeded Lewanika was Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula who was one of the most highly educated black Northern Rhodesians at the time. The African National Congress broke up and a new party the Zambia African National Congress (ZANC) was formed, then banned by the colonial office but soon revived as the United National Independence Party (UNIP).
Tribalism crept into African politics
At this point, tribalism crept into African politics in Northern Rhodesia. Its causes and occurrence are well articulated into One Zambia Many Histories edited by Jan Bart Gewald, Marja Hinfelaar and Giacomo Macola.
This tribalism led to the Southern Province voting against independence in 1964 while the rest of the country voted for UNIP and immediate independence.
The clashes between the supporters of the ANC and those of UNIP continued after independence until 1972 when the Choma declaration was signed to establish the One Party State.
Many supporters were heard saying “Mudala balachita kumu nyengelela (the old man has been short changed).
But there were positive results and all Zambians lived peacefully with each other and when we returned to multiparty politics in Zambia, history was replayed with the entire country voting for the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) while the Eastern Province voted for UNIP.
Eight years into the multiparty era, former Managing Director for Anglo American Central Africa Anderson Mazoka formed the United Party for National Development (UPND). It was a wonderful idea with a national character. Mazoka’s Vice Presidents were Sakwiba Sikota and Bob Sichinga.
By the way Mazoka was also once managing director of Zambia Railways when tribal conflicts among the workers took place in Kabwe.
When Mazoka died in August 2008, the UPND Trustees or aldermen made an announcement which shocked the entire country. They stated at a press conference that the UPND would only be led by a Tonga. Sakwiba and Sichinga were literary chased away.
“Don’t you have your own Namwanga party where you come from,” one senior Tonga politician told Bob Sichinga at a public rally.
It is this legacy which Mr Hichilema must disavow to assume a broad national perception.
Yours truly
Troubleshooter
