Litunga Imataa Kabaenda Mamili braving the German Advance in 1909
THE colonizers and other historians have the impression that the Luyanas ruled Caprivi (renamed Zambezi region in 2013) without the consent of its people. This view is subject to discussion and research as many groups in the former Caprivi that migrated from Central Africa were in one way or another part of the Aluyi and Aluyana groups though according to O’Sullivan (1993), none of them were numerous. The groups assimilated and intermarried to form clear lines of interrelatedness on both sides of the divide. After the defeat of the Kololos and restoration of the Luyana kingdom in 1864, Sipopa Lutangu posted Imataa Kabaenda to Linyanti (Sangwali today). According to Fisch (1999) Imataa Kabaenda, the Mafwe litunga in the Caprivi region is a descendant of Ngombala, the sixth Luyana king. Silozi oral tradition places Imataa as being a great-grandson of Mbuywamwambwa, the originator of the Luyana dynasty. As per Silozi sources when Mbuywamwambwa’s two sons, Mboo and Mwanambinyi fought over the chieftainship, the latter relocated to Imatongo, near Senanga and carried along his grand-nephew, Kakene and gave him Lianyi area.
According to Kruger (1984), Imataa who happens to be a very close relative of Kakene was a resident at Lianyi and his parents, Kabaenda and Kabuba were from the Luyana Royal House. Fisch (1999) maintains that as a young man, Imataa held a high position at the court of Sekeletu, who took over from his father, Sebitwane (a former Kololo chief ). It was Sekeletu who sent Imataa Kabaenda to deliver the entry permit to David Livingstone, the missionary of the London Missionary Society. It was the relationship to the Lozi kingship and the tradition to appoint close relatives who will be loyal to the king, that Imataa Kabaenda was appointed chief at Lwena and later at Linyanti. The indunas who accompanied Imataa Kabaenda to Linyanti were Imukusi, Imutwi Mubita, Imusho and Mutibi. Twenty-six years after his arrival, the area was renamed the Caprivi Strip after Georg Leo Graf von Caprivi de Caprera de Montecuccoli in 1890 after the Anglo-Germany treaty (Windhoek Observer, 1999). This was in recognition of the role he played in its negotiations and consequently its annexation as a sphere of influence. With the secession of Caprivi by the British and Germans in 1890 from the Luyana Kingdom, the people who once lived together were separated without their knowledge. In fact, the first effect for the Barotse of the treaty was that a long slice of their country was taken away and given to the Germans, a people that they had never even heard of. It was several years before they learned what had been arranged for them behind their backs (Clay, 1968). According to Kruger (1984) Captain Kurt Streitwolf was appointed as the first Imperial Resident Commissioner to the Caprivi in 1908 and entrusted with certain responsibilities, to achieve an orderly administration in the area. Streitwolf, travelled by ox-wagon and left Gobabis in November 1908, to arrive at the Zambezi River opposite the British station of Sesheke in February 1909. According to Kruger (1984), Streitwolf found Chief Imataa Kabaenda Mamili, who had been ruling for about forty-five years. Kruger further records that the advent of the German administration caused a considerable stir. Word had reached the residents that the Germans killed people. This allegation could be true as the Herero and Nama genocide took place between 1904 to 1908, the time Streitwolf was posted to the Caprivi. When Streitwolf arrived in the region, he found the people had cleared from the area and taken all cattle and other livestock, and several subjected boys and young men who were required as servants and herd boys. Out of the several Lozi sub-chiefs in Caprivi, only Imatata Kabaenda had remained, others either fled or were cut out as per border agreements. Despite this reality and situation, including his own son, Lifasi fleeing into Bulozi, Imataa Kabaenda stood his ground and remained in the region at all odds. Kruger (1984) still narrates that there was no protest or resistance from the people who had become accustomed implicitly to obeying orders. Litia, the son of Lewanika was approached about the cattle and he referred the matter to his father, the King of Barotseland, who readily approved the return of the cattle to be handed back to their rightful owners.
Protracted hearings took place at Sesheke before Litia’s Kuta until the day came when all the cattle were to be crossed back into the Caprivi. Streitwolf then went around the Caprivi assessing the situation and explaining his mission and the aims of the German government concerning the territory. As Kruger (1984) puts it after leaving New Linyanti, in May 1909, he visited the bigger villages to the west and the northern areas of Caprivi. At Bwacha pan, near Sibbinda, Streitwolf was able to meet 10 Mafwe headmen and their followers. Mahachana Malila acted as their headman and spokesman as they chose to remain under the rule of Litunga Mamili. Indunas like Sikosi, Mayuni, Mwanota and others indicated their willingness to stay under the rule of Mamili. Many people ran to Litunga Imataa Kabaenda, because of his bravery, as they believed that he would defend them in a war situation as indicated by his participation in the war to reinstate Litunga Lewanika in 1885.