MUZUNGU AVERTS WAR IN ZAMBIA
THE Zambian politician who last month celebrated his 80th birthday in Lusaka last month, Mr Mulondwe Muzungu helped to avoid one of the biggest political wars iñ southern Africa.
Mr Muzungu’s name may not ring a bell especially to the young generation in Zambia.
Mr Muzungu is a giant politician who played a critical role to bring peace to this country in the early 70s.
The late Nalumino Mundia formed the United Party which took some parts of Zambia by storm, especially the Copperbelt and North-Western Zambia.
Other prominent members were Adamson Mushala, a Mr Smart, Chikulo and others too numerous to mention.
President Kenneth Kaunda’s government later arrested the UP leadership for allegedly causing violence in Zambia and the United Party was banned.
After their release from prison in 1968/9 the former UP bigwigs went to join Harry Mwaanga’s African National Congress at Mapoto in Chilenje.
President Kaunda was very annoyed and confused. KK was hit below the belt. There was serious political tension in the country.
How could these men he had pardoned join Mr Nkumbula, when he Kaunda had also promised them jobs as District Governors a few days earlier?
I was then a young boy, but today at 69 when I look back it is like yesterday. Mr Muzungu was then living in Libala’s Boli Street before moving to Chilenje South.
Behind the political scenes, Mr Muzungu worked hard to persuade many of his members of the then banned UP to join the United National Independence Party (UNIP) to avoid a tribal national crisis and war.
The Mushala uprising was not a mean game. Many Zambians lost their lives.
The entire southern African region could have turned into a ball of fire, if gallant politicians such as Mr Muzungu did not advise Kenneth Kaunda to sober up.
The tribal crisis in Zambia could have been worse off than the genocide in Rwanda because most of the countries in this region were still under colonial rule.
Fortunately, the political volcano was cooled off!
The reason why I have decided to write this article is to tell young Zambians to know and appreciate their political history.
It was Mr Muzungu and Mr Mundia who worked hard to bring peace in Zambia.
And in the end, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula agreed to sign the Choma peace accord which saw the birth of a one-party participatory democracy in Zambia.
However, some of the hot headed politicians were adamant to work with Kenneth Kaunda and his United National Independence Party. These included Adamson Mushala and some of his lieutenants who were against a one-party dictatorship rule. I was still at primary school at Chitanda Primary School in Matero.
In 1971 I lived with the Muzungu’s in Chilenje South, at house number 107 Kalomo Road in the then newly built middle-class township. I was then in Form 2 at Kamwala High School.
Mr Muzungu’s father and mine, their mothers were blood sisters. In short, he is my brother. Not my cousin, no no! Zambian tradition and culture must be respected.
At one of the last meetings in Lusaka attended by senior members of this defunct party, Mr Mundia insisted, “If you cannot win, join them.”
This was a heated meeting at Mr Muzungu’s house that Adamson Mushala decided to go it alone and later launched an armed struggle against KK’s one-party regime.
Was Mr Muzungu and Mr Mundia traitors or political sell outs of UP? The answer is a big NO!
The then political “marriage” of convenience” between Kaunda and some former members of the banned UP led by president Mundia was to avert bloodshed and total war in Zambia.
Mushala who was supported by colonialists in Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, South West Africa ( Namibia) Angola and South Africa managed to wage a guerilla warfare.
Many people died during the 10-year war that Mushala fought against KK’s one-party rule.
Kaunda had no option, to bring peace to Zambia, Mr Mundia was appointed Prime Minister and Mr Muzungu was made a minister of commerce and later in charge of mines. Peace finally prevailed in this country.
If Mr Muzungu and Mr Mundia did not use their tact to work and persuade KK to simmer down Zambia would probably have been hell on earth!
Mr Muzungu is a devoted Christian, a traditionist, a keen soccer fan and a friend of both the young and the old.
Before joining full time politics Mr Muzungu was one of the highly British trained chartered insurance managers in Africa.
He hails from North-Western Province. A Kaoñde who is not shy to tell a person, whether Kaonde or not how to pronounce ki Kaoñde properly.
Currently, Mr Muzungu is a businessman and a village headman.
In his village, he is popularly known as Mulondwe Muzungu wabuka bizhiba ne myaba, ka lumbinjimbi, musoka ntanda. Kajilo musokazhana wasoka mpata wasoka biyombo- The great river bird!
As Zambia celebrates and remembers KK’ s life, the role Mr Muzungu played to avert war in Zambia is second to none.