The Politics

Of Influence
The Life of

Daniel C. Munkombwe

Fleetfoot Publishing Company

9th Floor, Kulima Tower Building, Katunjila Road, Lusaka, Zambia

Copyright 2013 by Daniel C. Munkombwe

First published in 2013 by Fleetfoot Publishing Company, Zambia

ISBN No. 978-9982-851-10-7

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in

a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
permission of the copyright owner.

Printed by New Horizon Printing Press Lusaka

ii

Contents

Preface 3
1.

CHILDHOOD

5-13

2.

EDUCATION

14-29

3.

MY MARRIAGE

30-33

4.

POLITICAL LIFE

34-37

5.

ACTIVE POLITICS

6.

PARLIAMENTARY POLITICS

55-59

7.

PHOTOS

60-75

8.

JOINING UNIP

76-97

9.

MY ENTRY INTO PARIAMENT

98-100

10.

WIND OF CHANGE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

101-106

11.

THE FORMATION OF MMD

12.

MY POLITICS AFTER LEAVING UNIP

113-126

13.

BACK INTO A GOVERNMENT OFFICE

127-132

14.

I FELT BETRAYED

133-136

38-54

107-112

iii

iv

Preface

his has not been an easy book to write in more ways than one.
I have had to a certain extent rely on a fading memory and the
memories of elderly men and women who could not remember
precise dates. Since it is not a book for academic record, but my
autobiography. I have not hesitated to compile and write it.
I realised from the beginning that there are many people of my
generation who have written about their political involvement
in our country. I would like to believe that I have had along and
colourful political career, which can be matched by few, stretching
over nearly six decades. There are some among my contemporaries
and others, who may consider my political career as controversial,
because of some of the difficult decisions I have had to make.
However, it is undeniable that it has been a long career, which has
given me a vast insight of the politics of our country and its leaders
at various levels.
It is difficult for someone who has not been a part of the struggle
for independence or the post-independence era to appreciate the
intricacies, which form part of this political narrative of Zambia.
Working with different leaders like Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula,
Kenneth Kaunda, Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa, Rupiah
Banda and Michael Sata, has given me greater understanding of
the leadership roles decision making and courage required to lead
people, with such diverse interests. Being associated with these
great men has been an honour and special privilege for me. I have
attempted not to be judgmental about them, but merely recollect
some of the experiences I acquired while working with them. I hope
that I have succeeded in living out malice and unfairness.
I had a story to share with others and this is what motivated me to
3

write this book. I would like to thank all those who have provided
me with valuable information and clarifications, which have
assisted me in maintaining the balance and cohesion of this book.
It would have been impossible for this task to be completed or
even undertaken without the secretarial services of various people
too numerous to mention and I will forever be indebted to them.
The selection of information, recollection and judgments recorded
in this book is mine and mine alone and not theirs, for which I
accept undiminished responsibility. Notwithstanding, I hope that,
some useful information has been provided in this book, which will
remain valid and useful to the current generation and generations
yet to come.

Daniel C. Munkombwe

August 2013.

Chapter 1

Childhood

was born on the 16th of May 1932 in Mbole Village in Chief Machas
area of Choma District in the Southern Province. My father was
Philip Chibbwalu Moono of Mbole Village of Simwale Village in Chief
Singanis area in Choma District. I lived with my father and mother
for only seven years. My grandfather Mbole Chiinga who was a
Senior Village Headman moved to Chief Singanis area after he was
relocated from the present Choma Town. My grandfathers village
stretched from where the current Choma Police Station is located
to Choma Airstrip. He moved his family from there to Vumba area
now called Navumba Mission. This is where Choma High School is
presently situated.
Thereafter, my grandfather moved to Keebeka where a Mr.
Kakompes farm is currently located. It was there that my
grandmother Bweendo, my fathers mother, died in 1927. When
my grandmother Bweendo died, the elders suggested that Mbole
who was extremely good to Bweendo his wifes family be given
his granddaughter from Bweendos young sisters daughter. This
5

was agreed upon by late Bweendos family and Mbole was given
my cousin, my fathers niece, to marry. She was a tender, young,
succulent and beautiful lady who was only 16 years old while Mbole
was over 70. Since my grandfather Mbole Chiinga Munkombwe
was greatly divested by the death of his wife, Bweendo, he decided
to assemble his people and told them that he wanted to move
out of Chief Singanis Chiefdom to settle in Silukwiya area in Chief
Machas Chiefdom. His intentions were to split his large village into
three parts. He then requested his son Chigunta Munangaba to be
a headman of one group of villagers who remained behind and
his son in-law Tom Siachoobe to be a headman of that group of
villagers. These villages are still in existence and very influential in
Chief Singanis area up to this day.
Mbole Chiinga Munkombwe migrated to Silukwiya area in Chief
Machas area. Mbole, who was a warrior, was a very influential
person in the area and considerably rich with a lot of cattle after he
moved to Silukwiya, he was immediately made senior headman of
the area. It was in Silukwiya area that I was born four years later in
1932. I stayed with Mbole for eight years. It was him and his young
wife who looked after me during those formative years. In 1936 at
the age of five, I had started cutting small trees in Bina Lubanga
which was a very thick forest full of the famous Mubanga trees.
In 1939 when I was seven years old, my father Phillip Chibbbwalu
Moono was recruited into the Colonial Army for six years until 1945.
He rose to the position of Regimental Sergeant Major which was
the highest position by an African could hold in the Colonial Army
those days.
When my father left Mbole village to join the army, his elder
brother Meleki Masiwa Machenje Moono who lived in Keebeka
near Choma came to collect me, because he did not want me to
live with my mother. My younger sister Neliya Sibbende was born
6

when my father was just leaving for the army. My mother was
left with my elder sisters Maria Moono Munkombwe and Martha
Munkomwe with the newly born baby Neliya. Neliya was given the
name Sibbende because she was born in the groundnut field when
my mother was harvesting groundnuts.
I went to live with my fathers elder brother, Meleki. He had two
sons Mulumbu Munkombwe aged four and Sialumba who was
about three months old, and was also named Dule Mankampa,
Dule meant somebody with long hair. Dule had long hair because
his hair was not to be cut until the witchdoctor who had treated his
mother after a miscarriage said so. Machenje and his wife resorted
to consulting a witchdoctor for treatment so that Sialumba could
not prematurely die too. As such, Sialumbas hair was only cut by
this same witchdoctor one year after his birth.
Machenje lived with his uncle Chilimelime who had two wives and
ten children. Chilimelime had two wives and from his first wife, he
bore four sons and two daughters while from the second wife, he
had two sons and two daughters. Some of his children like Sikalundu
Moono and Deseni Moono became teachers under the Pilgrim
Holiness Church. Others like Tenson Moono and Tochi Moono were
some of the most vicious people. The most prominent of the four
sons were, Andersons Sikalundu Moono who was a teacher and the
others were Dadeni Moono who was also a teacher.
My stay at machenjes home
My stay with my uncle was not without problems. The problems
arose from his two vicious sons (Tochi and Tenson). They would
make us look for bees and we were made to get honey without
fire and if we failed to do so, we would be beaten senselessly by
these elder cousins. Several other cruel acts were inflicted on me
and another boy, who was named Dingu. Dingu also did not have a
father and mother in the Village and lived like me, and as a result he
7

and I lived a very miserable life. Each time I complained to Machenje,

he simply said to me that I would remember him long after he was
dead and that he was training and hardening me. In fact whenever
I complained to him about the mistreatment I was receiving from
my two aunties Bina Mulumbu the senior wife and Bina Simolooka
the junior one, I was often beaten. Sometimes he told me some
things which I thought were very unreasonable such as why cant
you beat any one of them? because he did not believe in solving
anything by dialogue but by beating.
If I argued any further by saying that how could I beat my aunties,
he always said he would support me if I beat up any one of them.
One day after I came back from herding cattle, I was sent to collect
water from about half a mile away, and was given Dule Mankampa
to carry on my back. I only managed to draw 10 liters of water which
was just half of the 20 liter container. On my return to the house,
bina Mulumbu, who was Machenjes senior wife, was very furious
and got Machenjes Shambock and started beating me. I cried and
pleaded with her to stop beating me but to no avail. I then ran to
get a spear from the house and threw the spear at her.
She was lucky because the spear only glazed her neck and she
began bleeding heavily before Bina Simolooka tied a piece of
cloth around her neck which stopped the bleeding. I then went
to hide in a nearby bush because I feared Machenje would kill me
when he returned from Choma town where he had gone in the
morning. When Bina Mulumbu saw her husband Machenje arrive,
I also imaged from my hiding place. She then started crying and
Bina Simooloka then reported that Ndombe (the nickname they
called me) speared Bina Mulumbu, but lucky the spear just glazed
her neck and she fell down and started bleeding heavily and the
blood only stopped coming out after I tied a piece of cloth around
her neck.

Machenje then looked at me and before I could explain the

circumstances which led me to do what I did, he grabed my hand
and started beating me and said why did you miss her? I should
have found her lying dead. He always used to tell us that if you pick
an axe and aim at someone, dont hesitate to throw it at that person.
I was surprised by his reaction. I thought that he was beating me for
throwing a spear at my auntie but I was beaten because the spear
missed her. He then turned his anger on his two wives and told
them the reason why he had decided to fetch me from my mothers
place to come and live with him after my father was recruited into
the army in 1939, was because he did not want me to be taken care
of by a woman. He then told me that next time you should use an
axe to chop up one of them.
This was at the beginning of 1941. I then sent a message to Mbole
where my mother was staying with my elder sisters Maria and
Martha and my younger sister Neliya. My mother came to steal me
after two days. We had to wait for him, Machenje, to go to Choma
town for her to steal me. We had to use a foot path which was not
normally used to get to Mbole Village for fear of being followed.
We arrived at Mbole village in the eveining and my mother
reported this whole episode to Machenjes father Mbole Chiinga
Munkombwe. Mbole was the only person whom Machenje feared
and respected, as Mbole was a very vicious and courageous person.
He took complete charge of me as was the case before my father
was recruited into the army. The difference in me this time, was that
I had gone through terrible hardships and therefore had become
hardened. For instance, while I lived with Machenje, my fathers
elder brother, I was not given any food if I had lost any cattle while
herding them. I underwent some form of torture by Chilimelimes
sons led by Tenson Moono and Tochi Moono. I was now ten years
old unlike when I lived with him before I was taken to live with
Machenje. I could cut big trees this time around.
9

Tragedy struck my family in 1942. My immediate elder sister Martha

died. At that time my father had come on leave from army. My sisters
death in 1942 and that of my grandfather Mbole, who had died in
May 1943, upset my father to the extent where he had to move us
from Mbole to Macha village where his younger sister was married.
My aunt was Muuka Moono whom my father had taken to Sikalongo
Mission when the mission was started in 1916 by Rev. Miron Taylor.
My father had taken some girls to be educated as Sikalongo Mission
and among them were Muuka Moono, Leah Mwaanga, Manusha,
Joseph Munsakas mother, Namashikwe Moono, Lute Mwaanga my
aunt, Bina Stephen Muleya among others.
Life without a father
My family comprising of my mother, my sisters and myself moved
to Macha village in august, 1943. My father just took us to his sister,
who had married into the royal Family, and went back to the army
where he stayed until 1945. Antie Muuka already had four children
by then and these were: Lazarous, Timothy, Annah, Muumbe and
Dorothy. Antie Muuka was married to Samboko Sikalyabwanda;
a member of the royal family. Whilst in Macha village, we stayed
among some of the most progressive minded people among them
were Cheepe Meleki Mubumbasu and Chiseke Mudenda. These
were Kaibas nephews.
I was identified as a hard worker, as I had already been adequately
prepared to work and live under very difficult circumstances. I
joined Chief Machas team of workers which was headed by Site
Chimpama and Joseph Hakwaba. We would be woken up about
3 am everyday during the rainy season to go and get oxen from
the cattle kraal and begin milking. If on a particular day there were
continuous rains, we would put on empty sacks to go and plant
sweet potatoes. We were not allowed to drink anything including
water until about 1 pm and needless to say that I had already been
10

used to working for long hours without food. To me there was

nothing new as I had undergone the worst agony earlier on in my
life. To the best of my knowledge, Kaiba is my grandfather because
he was born from Chipongwes young brother. Chipongwe was
the father of Mukasimachendu Mudenda while Chipongwes
immediate young brother Hantali was Kaiba Mudendas father and
their younger brother Ntuluba was Site Chimpamas father.

The Munkombwe matrilineal family tree

My mothers family tree is as follows: - Nasimponje had two sons
and four daughters. The two sons were namely Siamuzwe, Siafwiti
Siamazenta and the daughters, Keekalas son were Namashoba
and Mupotola, while Keekalas daughters were Nabwando and
Mweembe. Mutinta had one son Nsuke the others died early while
the daughter was Mukasimachendu Mudenda. Munsanda was the
mother of Hampongo Mweene Longwani, Mukasikalanda Moono,
Mukatwambo, Muka Sikwidu and Mwendalubi. Njime had twin
sons only, Mafulo and Hamapeko (nicknamed Katawamazila).

Family members at Macha Mission

My family sent Mafulo to be one of the first students at Macha Mission.
The mission was founded in 1906 by two American Missionaries,
Francis Davison and Adda Engle. They were accompanied by David
Moyo and a Mr. Sibanda from Southern Rhodesia now Zimbabwe.
David Moyo lived in Zambia and moved to Nakeempa Village in
Chief Singanis area and his family is still there. The first students
of Macha Mission were: Mafulo, Hapuleni, Kaajika Sichibenga and
my family, therefore, is full of pride that Mafulo my grandfather,
Simakulika my uncle, my aunties, Mukamwiinga, Buumba, Stephen
Muleya, Amon Mweetwa, Misheck Najame Mweetwa, Willie
11

Mulinda, Philimon Mwaanga, Belemu Mudenda, Elijah Mudenda,

and many others have left permanent marks in our history. Elijah
Mudenda was by then a student at Munali Secondary School. I
have greatly benefitted from oral traditional narrations by people
like Joni Kabeleka, my grandfather and Kaiba Mudenda who told
me about some of the events I have recounted in this book.

Chief Macha Kaibas rule

During my stay under Chief Macha Kaiba, I came to the conclusion
that only hard work could bring rewards no matter how long it took.
Kaibas rule was associated with development and discipline. Beer
in the chiefdom was drunk only from midday on Sunday to about
4 pm by Sunday and anyone who drank beer on Sunday nights or
worse still on Monday morning, was severely punished.
The other rule in the chiefdom was that there were no drums to be
played on any other day except Saturday after midday and Sunday
until 4 pm or when there was a funeral. There was also no family to
sleep in a house made out of poles or mad. All families were ordered
to live in houses built with burnt bricks. Chief Macha Kaiba was
also a very religious person who went to church every Sunday, and
every Sunday he cycled to Macha Mission church and encouraged
all of us, his subjects to go to church. Because of his teachings, I still
go to church every Sunday and I still do not drink alcohol or smoke.

The Macha cream

Among the prominent people who made up what was known
as the cream of Macha Central were: Chief Macha Kaiba,
Madubansi, Philimon Moono, Munansangu, Taulu Chiyoma
Moono, Nkembule, Solomon Choombwa, Sinutenteka, Meleki
12

Cheepe Mubambasu, who later became chief Macha. Others were

Munachikale, Munkanga, Chaambwa, Solomon Hamupole Moono,
Philimon Mwaanga Simwaambana, Simubali, Joni Kabeleka and
Mwanambiyaho among others.

13

Chapter 2

Education

started school at Macha Central School in 1945 at the age of

13, after spending preschool years under the custody of Senior
Headman Mbole Chiinga Munkomwe. I lived under the iron- hand
of Machenje and was finally refined by Chief Macha Kaiba. I started
school under the care of Martha Mudenda and Addie Munkombwe
who later got married to Jonathan Muleya. The School headmaster
at that time was Mark Muleendo.
I was at Macha Central School from Sub A, B Standard 1 and 2.
Whilst in Sub A, I got interested in sports such as running and
football. In Standard 2 my mother suggested that I go to a school
where she wanted me to do my Standard 3 if I passed Standard
2. The School was Muyanda Central School whose Head teacher
was Albert Moono. Moono was married to Rabecca Maliwe who
was actually my cousin or according to our tradition elder sister, by
virtue of her being a daughter of Auntie Mukamwiinga Mwaanga.
Mukamwiinga Mwaanga was Siamakulikas elder sister. Siamakulika
Samson Mwaanga was Vernon Mwaangas father.
14

While at Macha Mission, there was a group of girls who were in

Standard 5 and 6 or one to two classes ahead of me. This group of
girls included Betty Mweetwa, my cousin, who is Vernon Mwaangas
elder sister. Ironically, Betty was born in 1939 and was seven years
younger than me. Betty had the advantage of having started school
early, by virtue of being a teachers daughter.

ourney to Muyanda Central School and school life

After passing my standard 2 at Macha in 1947, I went to Muyanda
Central School. I would start my journey in the morning running
away from my father who had by then returned from the army at the
end of World War II in 1945. It was during my early days at Muyanda
when my mother became ill and Silas Siakangowani Mwaanga had
to cycle from chief Singanis area where my grandfather Simwale
was Senior Headman. Silas was my mothers young brother from a
polygamous family who was sent to report her illness to Simwale.
At Muyanda School, I joined the school debating society while in
Standard 3. This was an opportunity for me to challenge girls who
were ahead of me. The debate were usually organised every Friday
evening. This time, I had started using the English dictionary, looking
for big words which were called jawbreakers to tantalize the
audience. I would allow about 10 students to speak first, five from
the proposers and five from the opposing side. After sizing them up,
I would then rise and make my contribution. My early debating skills
continued up to impress up to the time I got to Sikalongo Mission and
Matopo Mission Secondary School in Southern Rhodesia, Zimbabwe.

Illness and Death of my Mother

My mother had an elder brother, Lice Simwale Mwaanga, and her
15

young sister Lute Buumba Mwaanga who was married to Paul

Nchoba Mudenda. Silas Siakangowani took my mother to Choma
Hospital were she underwent an emergency operation. She died
a few weeks after being discharged from the hospital because of
alleged lack of post operation care from relatives. When my mother
died in 1947, she left behind four children and by then Neliya my
youngest sister was only eight years old.
My father married an 18 year old girl from Dambula Village in
the Mbabala area of Chief Mapanza. This woman bore my father
eight children out of which, three died. Those alive are Jonathan,
John chibbwalu, Nsiimbi, Bina Mwiila and Noliya. My fathers new
wife Martha took charge of the four of us Maria, Sibbende, Bonga
and I. We lived in Macha village for four years before my father was
offered a job as a fire Ranger in Charge of five farms in Choma West.
These farms were called Roy Ross, Blackburn and Yates Jones.
When my father was offered a job in Choma West, I remained under
the care of my brother in-law Albert Moono. He lived in Mwanambiya
Village where I spent all my school holidays while I was a boarder
at Macha Mission under the care of Samson Mudenda. While I was
at Macha Mission, I was made to herd pigs in the afternoons after
classes which were ending at 1 pm daily. Pig food was cooked in
drums by an old man named Mapani who was the younger brother
of Hezekiya Muleya Kamanakwenda.
Confrontation with the District Commissioner
At the time I completed my standard 4 in 1950; my father was working
as a Fire Ranger for the five Commercial farmers mentioned above
and lived at Roy Ross Farm. I had heard that there was a bursary
scheme under the War memorial fund for the children of ex-soldiers
who fought in World War 11. The fund was being administered
in Mazabuka. I decided to travel to the District Commissioners
office in Choma where I asked that I be given a warrant to travel
16

to Mazabuka to claim these benefits. When I got to the boma the

messengers harassed me wondering why a small boy like me would
want to see the District Commissioner. I explained why I wanted
to see the District Commissioner and that I did not want them to
know the message I had for him.
I then decided to see the Senior Clerk who led me to the District
Commissioner. The Commissioner asked the Clerk about me and
at this time I intervened and told him that excuse me sir, I am
Daniel Munkombwe and am a son of former soldier who fought in
the Second World War from 1939 1945. I have been made aware
that a bursary scheme for children of exe service men is being
administered in Choma which falls under you. I then told him that
there was need for me to be given a letter which would introduce
me to his fellow District Commissioner in Mazabuka. He did not
respond to what I said, but merely directed the Clerk to check in
the book which had records of the people who were recruited into
the army.
I explained to the Commissioner that my father, Mr. Philip Chibbwalu
Moono, was recruited on the 20th September, 1939 from Mbole
Village, Chief Machas area. The Clerk then typed a letter with all
the necessary details which he took to the District Commissioner to
sign. The name of the District Commissioner was a Mr. Russell. I got a
warrant and travelled by train to Mazabuka. When I got there, I went
to the Boma, where I found the notorious District Commissioner for
Mazabuka. He did not want to listen to anything I had to say as he
perceived it as nonsense. I can only recall his name as Beldon, and
the Tongas nicknamed him Chamulangula. The battle for me to get
in and see him was more difficult than I had anticipated.
At Mazabuka Boma, the messengers wanted to see the letter from
Choma and know its contents. I was very angered by the way the
messengers behaved and their attitude towards people generally.
17

I remembered the political lectures I used to get from my uncle the

late Simon Mudenda, Elijah Mudendas elder brother, who after
obtaining his education in South Africa, became well known by
too many prominent black politicians in South Africa, and other
Political Science Lecturers, these lectures were ably recounted
to me by Isaac Munsanje. My uncle Elijah Mudenda originally
worked as Research Scientist at Mount Makulu Research Station
having studied in Uganda at the renowned Makerere University, at
Fort Hare University in South Africa and Cambridge University in
the United Kingdom. He also held several government positions
including those of Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Finance,
Minister of Foreign Affairs and rising to the position of Prime
Minister in the UNIP government from 1964 up to 1991. He retired
from active politics following UNIPs defeat in 1991 and passed
away in November, 2008.
This political foundation would always be treasured in my life. I
then created a situation which attracted the attention of a senior
clerk by the name of Richard Haamuntu, who later became Chief
Mwanachingwala to come out and ask what was happening. Before
any one of the messengers could respond, I started explaining my
predicament. Mr. Haamuntu was displeased with the conduct of
the messengers towards me and immediately got hold of the letter
and delivered it to the District Commissioner who immediately
sent for me. Commonsense had at long last triumphed.
The District Commissioner then said to me why are you behaving
like this my boy? I answered Sir, it is your messengers who are
cruel to people. Your messengers were demanding that they should
know the contents of the letter first before they could allow me to
see you. I thought that was not right.
To the surprise of the messengers, the District Commissioner
agreed with me, and then directed the Senior Clerk to process my
18

bursary papers and gave me money for my School fees. The two
also agreed that from then on, I was to get my bursary money from
the District commissioners Office in Choma. So for my Standard
5 and 6, I was one of the beneficiaries of the War Memorial Fund
Bursary Scheme.
My elder sister Maria had by now completed her Teacher Training
course at Chipembi Girls Teachers college in Chisamba, Central
Province. Marias early days at Macha Mission School were
punctuated by brilliance. During her Standard 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, she
was on top of her class nearly always coming either the first or
second and Melly Muzyamba, her classmate, was competing with
her for first or second place. Maria bought a bicycle for me from
her first pay as a teacher and I used this bicycle to carry fish from
Namwala for sale. I used to buy fish from Chibunze Fishing Camp
in Maala and would then cycle through Kazuni Kalila to Ichila up to
Macha. During School holidays o joined fish traders; late Namaunga
and Hamachenche. These men were the most prominent fish
traders in Macha area. All the efforts of buying and selling fish were
to supplement my School requirements.

Sikalongo Mission School

I prepared myself to go to Sikalongo Mission School for Standard 5
and 6 in 1951. By this time I had received enough money from the
War Memorial Bursary Fund and from my fish trading activities. I
first had to travel to Roy Rosss farm where my father was working.
I went to tell him about my ordeal when I was applying for the
War Memorial Bursary Fund. I told my father the difficulties I
had encountered in Choma and Mazabuka and how I had finally
succeeded. I showed him the money which I got from the Bursary
Fund and the money I raised from my fish trading activities.

19

My father was surprised by the courage I had shown in confronting

the two District Commissioners, but I told him that I had always
been taught to be brave and steadfast My showing him the money
was meant to demonstrate that I was honest. I have always believed
that no one can ever hope to succeed in life without being honest.
This has always been my belief and remains so to this day.
Sikalongo Mission School was only three days away from opening.
I then had to ride my bicycle to Sikalongo but had to stop at
Siamambo village where my auntie Buumba, bina Stephen Muleya
lived. Buumba, Mrs. Nchoba was a very progressive woman and
after her husband Paul Nchoba Mudenda finally retired he settled
at Simambo Village. I had not visited him since my mother and I
visited then in 1940 when we had gone to visit my Grandfather
Simwale. We had also visited Buumba in the same year. I stayed
with my auntie for two days and then left for Sikalonga Mission on
the day the School opened.
I was scared of the mockery which was going on and being meted
out to all the newcomers. In the meantime my cousin Addie
Munkombwe had just been married to the headmaster of the
School Jonathan Muleya who was teaching at the same School
with my uncle Samsom Simakulika Mwaanga before he resigned
to join government Schools in 1947. Later, S.S Mwaanga as he
was popularly known, had just been transferred from Nansenga
government school in Chief Musulwes area in Namwala District to
Livingstone in 1950 and heard about how I had struggled to get
to where I had reached in terms of my education. He then sent me
enough money to cover my school fees for the whole year, which
was a major relief.
At this point, I had enough money from the Bursary, from my fish
trading activities and from Uncle S.S Mwaanga and I asked Arthur
Kutcwayo to safely keep my surplus money. Kutcwayo was a
20

carpentry teacher who went to Sikalongo Mission from Southern

Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). My uncle continued to pay my School fees
up to my standard 6, 7 and 8 at Matopo Mission Secondary School
in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
My life at Sikalonga Mission was interesting and academically
rewarding. When I started my Standard 5, I drew up a programme
of work which included extra studies in the evenings. These classes
were starting with morning prayers at 6 am every morning before
we went for compulsory drills. From the beginning, I surveyed
the perennial stream which was called Kanino stream, which had
land suitable for growing vegetables. I put up a programme which
entailed waking up at about 4 am every morning to go to the
stream to begin preparing land for vegetable growing. Six months
later, I started growing Vegetables which I sold to the teaching staff
at the school and in the area.
Waking up early at 4 am was not a new phenomenon since that was
what I used to do growing up under the guidance of Chief Macha
Kaiba, Senior Headman Mbole, Machenje and latter under Chief
Macha Kaiba. I had been trained both mentally and physically to
live under difficult circumstances. In the evenings, I used to go for
extra studies and do my home work assignments. My uncle Siteleki
Mudenda was in charge of the kitchen who surprisingly knew all
students plates in the kitchen. He separated food and relish and
amazingly, there were no mix ups in anyway.
My classmates in Standard 5 included among others Philip
Chisankama Mudenda, Timothy Chuubo Mudenda, Samuel
Mweetwa and Wilson Muloongo. These became my long time
friends. I divided my time into three categories, namely studying,
gardening and extra studies. After the evening compulsory studies
which used to start at about 7 pm and went on up to 8 pm, I continued
using a hurricane lamp which I bought to use for studying at night
21

until about 11 pm daily. Despite sleeping late, I was still able to

wake up at about 4 am every day except on Sundays as this day
was dedicated to worship. I have always been a religious person
especially after staying with Chief Macha Kaiba who was a staunch
Christian. As a result of this upbringing, I rarely miss Sunday church
services.

My debating Skills
In most cases, I read literature books just to improve my English
vocabulary, an attribute which I still continue to have to this day.
I strongly believe that knowledge comes partly from reading. I
have always believed that you can only develop debating skills
by reading books written by great leaders like Winston Churchill,
Kwame Nkrumah and others to improve your art of debating.
I distinguished myself as a great debater. I spent a lot of time writing
and rewriting my speeches. After lengthy periods of perfecting my
speeches, I would go out into the thick bush and begin reciting
them to myself. The general debates were organised in the same
way as at Macha Mission and took place every Friday evening.
After memorizing my speech, I would then go and face the other
students who in most cases were not adequately prepared. As was
my style of debating, I would allow 10 students to debate before I
could speak. I would then rise and take the floor with salutary effect.
I continued this trend from Standard 5 to my Standard 6, were
I spent a lot of my time reading speeches of world class orators
like Winston Churchill and other great leaders. I was in a class of
brilliant students; among them Samuel Mweetwa, Phillip Mudenda
and Daniel Duunka Munsaka. I befriended the three of them, as I
did not want to belong to the group of dull students where I would
spend most of my time teaching them instead of learning from
each other.
22

In my life, I developed a great dislike for failures. Hard work has

always been my guiding principle. That is why veteran politician
and former Minister in the Kaunda administration, Peter Matoka
once referred to me as a beneficially of Child Labour. This Child
Labour was really not for monetary gain, but meant to develop and
solidify my upbringing people who were referred to by Matoka
as beneficiaries of home Child Labour, included Kenneth Kaunda,
Elijah Mudenda, Mainza Chona and myself. I would broaden the
list to include people like Vernon Mwaanga, Dunstan Kamana and
Milimo Punabantu.
I passed my Standard 5 by getting position two, together with
Daniel Munsaka, while position one was shared between Samuel
Mweetwa and Philip Mudenda. We therefore went in to Standard 6
class with a lot of pride. I had by then money for my school fees and
had already bought books which included a dictionary and other
English Literature books. The sky was the limit as far as my studies
were concerned.
Our Teacher, Jonathan Muleya, was a very committed person
who made sure that each one of his students knew why he came
to school. My elder brother, Stephan Muleya, son of my auntie
Buumba, my mothers young sister, had just completed his Teacher
Training course at Kafue Teacher Training Institute. Stephen is Paul
Nchoba Medendas son.
Paul Mudenda was one of the early students of Sikalongo Mission
under Revland Myron Taylor the founder of Sikalongo Mission in
1916. Paul Ncoba Mudenda, David Choongo and Philip Chibbwalu
Moono were also among the first students at Sikalongo Mission.
Paul Mudenda continued his education until he passed Standard
4 before training as a teacher. He later founded Mudukula Primary
School and Siazwela Primary School before going into retirement.
My stay at Sikalongo was made easier when Stephen Muleya came
23

to Sikalongo Mission to take up a teaching position. My status at

the Mission became instantly elevated and respected. By then, I had
a brother in-law Jonathan Muleya who was Addie Munkombwes
husband and my elder brother Stephen Muleya. I had both the
money and the family support I needed to enjoy my studies and
School generally.
When I was at Macha Central School, Muyanda Central School and
Macha Mission, I played football. I continued playing football at
Sikalongo and was rated among the most outstanding footballers
at the School. Other notable footballers, at the time included Aaron
Muzyamba, Simon Mweetwa later known as Ntabeni, Simon
Mwendapole and others. I was extremely poor at mathematics
despite having a very good mathematics teacher by the name
of Jonathan Muleya. Due to poor performance in mathematics, I
was not selected to go to Munali Secondary School after I passed
my standard 6. I, together with Philip Mudenda, Timothy Chumbo
Mudenda and Samuel Mudenda, were selected to go to Matopo
Mission Secondary School in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
instead.
Matopo mission
After completing Standard 6 in May 1952. I was then picked to
go to Matopo Mission in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). I got
exceptionally good results in English, Religious Education, history,
Civics and Geography. These results placed me in Division 1 although
I did not do well in Mathematics. I could write English composition
which my teacher of English at Sikalongo would regularly praise.
My father had by then left employment and went to settle at his
fathers village in Mbole village before he established his own village
in 1952. He then went to Sikabbubba village in chief Singanis area
to get his nephews Jacob Magani, Zacharia Fula Muntanga and the
last born Benson Magani. I went to Mbole village where I told my
24

father that I had been selected to go to Matopo Mission in Bulawayo,

to go and do my standard 7 and 8. My father was extremely happy
and proud to receive this massage.
My father then decided to send me to Livingstone to see my
uncle Samson Simakulika Mwaanga who was Headmaster
of Shungu Government School. S.S Mwaangas name
was a house hold name in Livingstone. He was Chairman
of the Distract Referees Association, chairman of the
African Welfare Association and President of the Southern
Province Northern Rhodesia African Teachers Association
(NORATA) I arrived in Livingstone by train and went straight
to Shungu Government School where S.S Mwaanga was
teaching. The schools were on recess at that time and I went to my
uncles house in Libuyu Township. Fortunately I found S.S Mwaanga
and his wife Rebecca at home. Vernon was 8 years old at the time
and his late elder sister Betty was 13 years and his other elder sister
Elizabeth now Mrs. Musonda was 10 years. I was warmly received
by Uncle Mwaanga and the rest of the family and made to feel at
home.
I had not seen Uncle Mwaanga for a long time, since I met him at
his fathers funeral in 1945 and may be that is why he shed tears
of joy when he saw me. I had not seen him, his wife Rebecca and
their children for many years. Vernon was one year old when our
grandfather Maliko Batabufumba died in 1945. And that was the
same year when I started school. I narrated my episode of how I
started school and how I was advised by my mothers sister to go
to Muyanda School because that is where my brother in-law Albert
Moono was teaching; I narrated how I had completed my Standard
2 at Macha and how I struggled to get the War Memorial Bursary
Fund.

25

Uncle Mwaanga was a very generous person and he was to a large

extent responsible for educating nearly the whole Meetwa Clan.
I remember that my elder sister Maria, my auntie Mukamwiingas
daughters Rebecca Malilwe, Telisa Munkombwe, Sophia Simuuwe
and many other relatives too numerous to mention, were educated
by uncle Mwaanga. He was as kind as he was tough in terms of
discipline. When he started his career as a young teacher at Halumba
School in Mbabala area of chief Mapanza, he met his wife Rebecca
Ncube whose father Peter Ncube had come from the Ndebele tribe
of Southern Rhodesia in Zimbabwe.
Peter Ncube got married to the Bachindu Clan. Uncle Mwaangas
wedding was described as the best wedding of that time. He was
a very eloquent English speaker whos written and spoken English
was excellent. He went to Matopo Mission in Bulawayo to do his
standard 5, 6, 7 and Standard 8 at Matopo Mission in Bulawayo
and there after did a Teacher Training Course there. He was 1 class
behind his Cousin Belemu Mudenda. Belemu Mudenda also did his
Standards 5,6,7,8 and a Teacher Training course at Matopo Mission.
Belemu did not come back to Northern Rhodesia (Zambia)
immediately after completing his Teacher Training course. He
remained teaching in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and got
married to Bina Temba Mudenda. He later returned to Northern
Rhodesia (Zambia) to head the Chalimbana In Service Training
Institute where he joined a group of other Scholars who included
Josy Monga, Joseph Kalimina and were later joined by Robert
Gabriel Mugabe, who became the first black Prime Minister and
later President of Zimbabwe in 1980.
Uncle Mwaanga had earlier gone to Chalimbana in 1940 for his
High Teachers Course (HTC) and completed the course in 1942 and
went to head Sikalongo Mission School, before he resigned to join
government schools in 1947. After I told him about my selection to
26

Matopo Mission where he had studied many years earlier, he was

elated that I was following in his footsteps. He gave me enough
money for school fees and pocket money. I went back to Mbole
village to bid farewell to my father and other family members. I joined
my other colleagues in Choma, namely Phillip Mudenda, Timothy
Mudenda, Samuel Mudenda to board our train to Bulawayo.
We arrived in Bulawayo at about 7 am in August, 1952 and were
received by a prominent Southern Rhodesia Railway worker named
Thomas Mwanansefu. Mwanansefu originally came from Simaubi
village in Chief Mapanzas area in Choma District of Southern
Province. Mwanansefu was joined by another Northern Rhodesian
man by the name of Elijah Muchindu.
Elijah Muchindu was my fathers nephew and therefore my cousin.
He worked for a Super Market on 13th Street in Bulawayo. The two
then put us on a bus and led us to Mwanansefus home. We then
left the following morning for Matopo Mission in a bus which was
owned by the affluent family of a Mr. Zingwala who also belonged
to the Brethren in Christ Church. We arrived at Matopo Mission at
around 5 pm.
We were received by two of our Senior Northern Rhodesia
students from Sikalongo Mission who were one class ahead of us,
Daniel Mwaanga and Hezikiah Muleya Kwamanakweenda both of
whom later taught at Choma Secondary School. They had already
completed standard 7. Enos Malando Sibanda and Grace Khumalo
were in their standard 9. Enos Sibanda returned to Zimbabwe after
pursuing higher studies in the United States of America.
We started our classes in January 1953. Our class included Ethen
dube, son of Daniel Dube who was a businessman from Mthabezi
Mission which was also under the Brethren in Christ Church. Daniel
Dube was the son of a famous Rev. Dube of Mthabezi Mission. After
about six months of our being at Matopo, I and my classmate Ethen
27

Dube were secretly selected by one of the most respected senior

students at the mission, Enos Malando Sibanda, for extra lessons.
Enos Sibanda later went for higher studies in the United States
of America and upon his return got involved in politics under the
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU). Ethen Dube also became
involved in the freedom struggle of his country like me. He became
a high profiled politician in Zimbabwe and roused to the position of
Deputy Director of Intelligence Services in ZIPRA the security wing
of ZAPU. Ethen was ambushed and killed while he was supervising
gorilla operations in Botswana by Ian Smiths Agents. I obtained
a first class standard 7 pass in December 1953 and distinguished
myself as a great debater. During school holidays, I spent my time
with Ethen Dube in secret contacts with liberation leaders like
Joshua Nkomo, Rev. Ndabaningi Sithole and Lepold Takawira, a
graduate of Fort Hare University.

My early interest in politics

It was during our school holiday in 1953 that, Joshua Nkomo,
Ndabaningi Sithole and Lepold Takawira and I travelled on a
delegation to attend a conference of the African National Congress
(ANC) of Northern Rhodesia in Monze at Ishamu Lyamoomba. It was
that conference which changed the political landscape of Northern
Rhodesia.
Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula replaced Mbikusita Lewanika as ANC
President and Kenneth Kaunda replaced Robinson Nabulyato as
Secretary General of the African National Congress. Our delegation
went back to Southern Rhodesia after the conference. I then
continued with my standard 8 studies in January 1954.
I became very restless and developed a high appetite for politics
and continued with my association with Enos Sibanda and made
28

some contacts with selected students from other secondary school

in Zambabwe. I continued doing so until December 1954 when I
left Matopo Mission. I did not go to Macha but chose to stay with
my uncle Samson Mwaanga in Livingstone who was Headmaster of
Shungu Government School.

29

Chapter 3

My Marriage

n September 1956, I went home to Chibbwalu Village after my

standard 8 at Matopo Mission Secondary School. This time round, I
found that my father had formed his own village sometime in 1953.
I was away at school when this new Village was established. Whilst
I was doing Standard 6 at Sikalongo Mission, I got engaged to Ellah
Moono who was doing Standard 4 at Macha Mission School. Ellah
was James Mazumanana Moonos daughter from Namboole Village
in Chief Machas area in Choma District. She was from a family of
five girls and one boy. She completed her Standard 6 in May 1956.
We arranged to marry some time towards the end of 1956. My father
and Uncle Samson Mwaanga were keen to see me get married and
settle down. My father urgently started the process of arranging
the marriage traditionally. It was agreed by both parents that the
marriage would take place on the 27th December 1956. This time as
a full fledge fish-monger, I went home to get my brother Mulumbu.
I came into contact with prominent fishermen led by a Mr. Sosopa,
Leonard Solopis father, and included Wamulume Nakushowa and
others.
30

I got married to my girl-friend, Ellah, who had waited for me while

I went to Matopo Mission in 1952. Ellah was doing her Standard 6
when I went to Matopo Mission and she completed her Standard
6 in 1956. We got married on December, 27 1956. My wedding was
conducted by the Brethren in Christ Church at Macha Mission and
was considered to be one of the best at that time. After the wedding
which was attended by a large number of people, I went back to
Livingstone to continue with my political activities. I spent the
whole of 1957 moving between Choma and Livingstone, leaving
my wife Ellah with my father at the village. Uncle Mwaanga again
gave me some cattle for my Lobola and bought a bed for me.
I just stayed for one week and left for fishing in Namwala again
taking my young brother, Mulumbu who became headman Mbole
of Chief Machas Chiefdom and looks after a total of 10 other village
Headmen. Mulumbu is physically challenged having had his leg
disabled since childhood. Mulumbu is an extremely intelligent and
strong person. I went with him to fish in Namwala. We first camped
in Chibunze in chief Mungailas area and later moved to Buunga in
Chief Shimbizhis area.

My first vehicle
My auntie Rebecca Mwaanga eventually convinced her husband
uncle Samson Mwaanga that, I should travel to Macha together with
him, to sell some of his cattle to enable me buy a motor vehicle. We
sold some of his cattle which raised enough money which enabled
me to travel to Bulawayo to buy my first motor vehicle. I stayed with
my cousin Elijah Muchindu who worked as a driver under West
End Outfitters which was a super market store along 13th Street in
Bulawayo. Elijah took seven days off to help me look for the vehicle.
I finally settled for a Dodge Vanette from Duly Motors in Bulawayo.

31

The Dodge Vanette similar to the one which was owned by one
Grocery Owner Stephen Mponda a friend of uncle Mwaanga in
Libuyu Township who originally came from Nyasaland as Malawi
was then called. After all payment formalities were completed, Elijah
took me to the outer highways of Bulawayo and started coaching
me how to drive. I can now confess that I used to secretly drive some
Mission vehicles at Sikalongo and Matopo Mission. After several days
of intense driving lessons, I gathered enough confidence and started
off for Livingstone.
The experience of owning a vehicle in those days was overwhelming
to me. From being a mere student at Macha Central School, Muyunda
Central, Macha Mission, Sikalongo Mission and Matopo Mission
Secondary School, to being the proud owner of a brand new Dodge
Vanette, was a thrilling experience. I had to ponder the long term
consequences of my success or failure. I embarked on a working
career, and had a good fortune of working with Chief Macha Kaiba
Mudenda who thought me the art of self discipline without which it
was impossible for me to succeed in life.
In all the schools I attended, I was under Simon Mudenda at Macha
Central School, Albert Moono at Muyunda central School, Samson
Mudenda at Macha Mission, Jonathan Muleya at Sikalongo Mission
and finally Jack Ndlovu at Matopo Mission Secondary School in
Southern Rhodesia. All these people were highly principled and
disciplined. These people never failed to establish a home after they
retired from public service. I had a very good record at all the schools
I attended. I would never have talked about these noble men if I had
become a failure in my life because they did a lot to mould me into
what I later became in life.
I was guided by these men with deep Christian backgrounds. My
father Phillip Chibbwalu Moono was one of the first students at
Sikalongo Mission and my grandfather Maternal Laisi Mafulo was
32

among the people who received the first Missionaries at Macha

Mission in 1906. These first Missionaries were Francis Davison and
Adah Engle who later married Myron Taylor the founder of Sikalongo
Mission. I have also been proud of my familys connections with
the church. What would therefore be the reasons for me to project
anything else outside this remarkable background? My answer is
simple none whatsoever.
Apart from my short temper which I will describe as stupid, I think
that I have been largely a good human being. I want to leave this
issue of what I will be to genuine students of history. My contribution
to my country is worth talking about and what I have done can only
at best be recorded by genuine history commenters. With a newly
acquired Dodge Vanette, I then joined Mushauli Ncube whom I have
already described in earlier parts of this book. I also had some Lozi
friends whom I should not forget and these included Thomas Musho,
Benson Nyambe and Nganga Shebo. Nganga Shebo later became
an Induna under Senior Chief Inyambo Yetas Chiefdom in Sesheke
District.

33

Chapter 4

Political Life

fter I left Matopo Mission at the end of December 1954, I

stayed in Livingstone with my Uncle Samson Mwaanga. He
was by then Headmaster of Shuungu Upper Primary School in
Maramba Township of Livingstone who had distinguished himself
as a Community Leader not only in Livingstone but in Northern
Rhodesia as a whole. He was District Chairman of the Livingstone
Referees Association, Chairman of the Livingstone District Welfare
Association and Vice President of the Northern Rhodesia Teachers
Association NORATA whose President was none other Martin
Kaunda, a distinguished educationist.
During my stay with Uncle Mwaanga, he arranged to find me
employment in the Metrological Department. I went for an
interview with the Provincial Metrological Officer who was a very
Senior British Colonial civil Servant. The Officer was impressed with
the way I meticulously spoke english in answer to his questions.
The officer decided that I be sent to Kalomo Metrological station
where I found and worked under a young english man of about 20
years of age and I was 23 by that time.
34

This young english man greeted me by saying good morning

my boy. I looked at him and said is that the way you greet older
people? He arrogantly replied by saying if you are rude you will
have no place here. He then instructed an elderly office orderly to
take me where I was to stay as a trainee Metrologist. The following
morning he greeted me in the same manner and I then told him to
keep his job and headed back to Livingstone were I reported my
predicament to my Uncle Samson Mwaanga, and to my Surprise he
approved of my decision to quit my new job. That incident left me
with a permanent abhorrence for being employed.
I then decided to join Mushaulu Ncube who, with his young brother
Keynod Ncube and John Ncube also owned a Vanette which they
were using to buy fish from Mambova in Kazungula for sell at
Markets in Livingstone. Mushauli and his young brothers and three
sisters were born of a Southern Rhodesian mother, while their
father came from Simaubi Village in Chief Mapanzas area but who
had worked in Bulawayo for over 40 years.
The elder Brother to John Ncubes father was a very prominent,
farmer, named Muchangani. He was the father of Jane Muchangani,
a very prominent teacher under the Brethren in Christ Church at
Macha Mission. She later married Darius Lucheya. Janes young
brother, Leonard Muchangani, was to rise to the position of
Education Officer under the Anglican Schools.
After making several trips with Mushauli Ncube as a fish Monger, I
decided to convince my uncle to buy me a vanette vehicle for me
so that I could become a fully fledge fish monger. I found it difficult
to talk to my uncle directly because of his unpredictable nature. I
therefore, decided to talk to my aunt Rebecca his wife who was a
cool and logical woman. She was like her two daughters, Elizabeth
and Josephine, Vernon Mwaangas sisters. The duo was just a true
replica of their mother Rebecca. While the late Betty and Rosemary
had their fathers temperament.
35

Illness and death of SS Mwaanga

My uncle had a second marriage to Margaret Mwaanga with
whom they had five children, namely, Martin, Catherine, Mundia,
Nsondo and Angela. At that time, uncle Mwaanga got seriously ill
in Chikankata Hospital run by the Salvation Army in Mazabuka. He
summoned his elder sister, Muka Mwiinga Mwaaka, and his young
sister Chibozu Mwaanga popularly known as Koonja and a few of us.
He told his elder sister that if he died, I should marry his second wife
Margaret with whom he had five children. He said, I do not want
my children to go anywhere other than them remaining under the
care of my chosen nephew. The children from my first marriage are
grown up and are able to look after themselves.
I was directed by a man who had done so much for our large
extended family and it now dawned on me that the great bread
winner was dying. He repeated what his late uncle Longwani
Mweene did in 1959. He told the people who were nursing him
at Macha Mission Hospital to look for me that same day because
according to him Longwani was going to die on that day.
He did not want to die before he spoke to me. I had driven from my
village to Mbabala Rural Council for an ANC meeting were Amon
Mweetwa, Longwanis son spoke to me by phone from Macha
Hospital and relayed the massage to me from his father, who
was demanding to speak to me before he died. I drove to Macha
Hospital and when I told old Longwani that I had arrived, he told
his nephew Jeremiah Hambwati to tell all those who were sitting
around his bed to leave and go outside because he said that he
wanted to speak to Ndombe, as I am commonly known at home.
Everybody left, but it occurred to me that I should have a witness
present. I told the old man that I wanted to go to my vehicle to get
a pen and a piece of paper. I had to speak to the family so that I
could be joined by my Aunt Muka Mwiinga Mwaanga. The family
36

agreed that she should join me. The old man Longwani heard her
movement and asked who was making noise. I responded by saying
that the noise was from a nurse who was attending to him. He was
satisfied and started telling me who should keep his cattle and
money after his death. He advised me not to inherit any of his cattle.
I inquired as to why he did not want me inherit any of his cattle,
and he replied to the effect that he never inherited any cattle from
two of his uncles, Siamuzule and Hamazenta Siafwiti. Siamuzule
was the richest person in terms of cattle in Macha in those days. He
was nicknamed Haboombe meaning a person with many cattle.
Siamanzinta Sianfwiti, the young brother to Haboombe Siamuzwe,
lived in Kachele area of Kalomo District. Sianfwiti was equally rich
in cattle terms. Longwani told me to look after his children who
were my uncles Misheck Najaame Mweetwa, Amon Mweetwa,
Sikabanze Silekingombe Mweetwa and Lameck Mweetwa.
These were all older than me, but Longwani said to me, you are
the one I have left to look after everyone of my children and my
relatives. Longwanis words were repeated by his nephew Samson
Simakulika Mwaanga. Among many of my uncles children was
Vernon Mwaanga who has turned out to be more responsible
than the others. Vernon takes care of many of his fathers relatives,
I am still carrying my Uncle S.S Mwaangas instruction to me about
looking after our relatives.
Uncle Mwaanga was an intellectually seasoned and very balanced
man. Vernon was 10 years old having been born on 25th June, 1944.
I was restless and eager to join full time politics. This was to be the
beginning of a long and illustrious political career.

37

Chapter 5

Active Politics

pon my return from Kalomo, I immediately made contact

with District officials of the African National Congress (ANC) in
Livingstone, who told me that there would be elections towards
the end of January 1955. I got in touch with David Kapaya who was
an Accounts Assistant at a big shop called Evees, Isaac Kanyelele,
Amon Lungu, Luka Shampile and a few others. Elections were
organised and senior officials from the ANC headquarters in
Lusaka came to supervise these elections. During the night before
the elections, I sat down to write my speech to the ANC District
Conference delegates.
My uncle SS Mwaanga, who was a very good English teacher
polished and refined my speech. In my usual style, I read my speech
several times. I was contesting the position of District Secretary of
the African National Congress against Isaac Kanyelye. David Kapaya
was contesting the position of District chairman.
The two people contesting the District Chairmanship were asked
38

to speak first, followed by those contesting the District Secretarys

position. I chose to speak first and was enthusiastically applauded
and carried shoulder high after my speech. Surprisingly, Isaac
Kanyelele withdrew from the race as District Secretary after my
speech, leaving me to go through unopposed.
My active participation in politics hard started in earnest in January
1955. A formidable team which was headed by David Kapaya
emerged from these elections. His employers Evees Superstone,
were sympathetic to the African Freedom struggle. I then embarked
on a programme to reorganize the ANC in Livingstone District.
The new ANC District Executive Committee then started to
effectively organise branches in Livingstone and to establish new
ones. A powerful election group was set up which was headed by
Amon Lungu. Lungu, Luka Shampile, David Kapaya, Isaac Kanyelele
and I made a very good combination of good political organisers. It
is worth noting that although it was difficult for teachers to identify
themselves with politicians in those days, behind closed doors
they were fully involved in rebaration politics. We had Jeremiah
Kabalata, Samson Mwaanga and others. Vernon Mwaanga started
attending our political meetings although he was only 11 years old
in 1955. He was mocked by the elders for attending these meetings
and listening attentively to what was being discussed.
In 1956 the ANC called for a shop boycott to protest against white
mistreatment of black workers. The ANC in Livingstone joined the
boycott and the Livingstone boycott of shops in 1956 became
a big success story. Amon Lungu, Simon Kapwepwe from the
Headquarters, Luke Shampile, the entire ANC District Executive
and I, were arrested by colonial police and taken to the police
station. However, the group did not get intimidated and continued
singing political songs all the way to the police station. This was
done much to the disgust and annoyance of white police officers.
39

Innocent people, who included women, were ruthlessly rounded

up and brutally beaten by colonial police officers.
Kenneth Kaunda who was directing the shop boycott countrywide
was informed of the problems in Livingstone because they were
viewed as more serious than elsewhere in the country. Kaunda, as
Secretary General of ANC hired Herbert Chitepo who was the first
black barrister who then travelled to Livingstone to handle our case
and upon arrival, he immediately lodged bail application papers
for us. After extensive screening, most of those arrested with the
exception of myself and three others, were released from custody
without charge.
My political influence had started spreading rapidly like wild fire.
There were strong arguments at the Police Station in Livingstone
as some police officers had identified me as the ring leader. After
protracted arguments, I was also released. However, Amon Lungu,
who was elected as District director of the ANC Action Group,
and two other people were denied bail and were charged and
eventually tried and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. It was
after this, that I came into contact with other District Leaders of the
African National Congress in the Southern Province.

Meeting with Mungoni Liso

Sometime in 1958, Edward Mungoni Liso, Mathew Delux Nkoloma,
Golden Puff-Puff Chindele and others were restricted in their various
home areas. Liso was restricted in Chief Nalubambas area while
Mathew was restricted in the chalimbana area of Chief Nkomesha
and Golden in the Mumbwa area of chief Shakumbila.
This gave me an excellent opportunity to pair with someone
whom I regarded as a strong leader in politics. Liso was strong both
physically and mentally. He gave up his medical profession as a
40

medical assistant to devote his time to the freedom struggle. Liso,

like me was not a pretender like many other politicians. I cycled
several times from Chibbwalu village in chief Machas area to spend
time with Liso and to benefit from his wise counsel.
I remember one day when Liso and I cycled to Namwala via Chitongo
Makotoola to Kabulamwanda. We spent a night at Harry Mwaanga
Nkumbulas house. A meeting was then hastily organized, after
local people heard about our presence in the area. After addressing
a group of ANC officials where we told them to rally behind the
ANC, we left for Namwala the following day.
We had earlier sent a letter about our visit to Namwala through
a party confidant where we made it clear that our arrival should
be kept secret because, Liso was a restricted person who was
not allowed to go beyond the boundaries of Chief Nalubamba.
As misfortune would have it, there was excitement about our
presence in Namwala leading to alerting of the notorious District
Commissioner nicknamed Chitendene by African informers.
He then instructed the security officers to be on alert because
according to him, there were two criminals who were arriving in
Namwala Town from Choma. Fortunately, there was an African
Administrative Assistant (AAA) in Namwala named Evans William.
Evans later became secretary to the cabinet in the government of
the republic of Zambia. William was sent to Namwala while his
colleague Mark Chona was posted to Choma Boma. Our group was
hidden behind Willimas official residence.
When information leaked that we were at the house of Willima,
we then decided to lock ourselves in Willimas toilet. The police
came to search the house but in the process, forgot to search the
toilet in which we were hiding. In the night, Willima drove us back
to Mbeza in his official Land Rover. Mungoni Liso and I adopted
several strategies which were confusing to the colonial authorities.
41

We then cycled to Monze via Beengwa and onto Choma via

Mapanza. When all these avenues were finally discovered, Liso was
interrogated heavily and he denied all allegations, describing them
as rumours which were being spread by people who were hell-bent
on undermining the freedom struggle.
Shortly after his restriction was lifted, Liso was freed together with
others and allowed to travel relatively freely across the country. The
restrictees quickly returned to their original stations and positions.
Mathew Delux Nkoloma went back into his trade union position.
Golden Puff -Puff Chindele went back to the Copperbelt while Liso
went back to the ANC headquarters in Lusaka. The ANC National
Executive committee then arranged a famous conference of its
entire provincial and District officials on the 30th September, 1958,
In Lusaka.
This conference was held at Chilenje Hall in Lusaka and was opened
by the President of the African National Congress, Harry Mwaanga
Nkumbula, where he outlined his vision for the political future of
the Nationalist Movement in Northern Rhodesia. Heated debate
ensued which centered on the gradual approach adopted by the
ANC leadership, with regard to the struggle for independence.
Many radicals were advocating for a more revolutionary approach
to the political movement in the country. I supported the gradual
position which was advocated by Nkumbula and others.
There was also a group of radicals which included Munukayumbwa
Sipalo, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, Justin Chimba and Others, who
regarded Harry Nkumbula was regarded as a moderate while they
regarded Kenneth Kaunda as a non-violent strategist. Sipalo and
Kapwepwe, regarded both Nkumbula and Kaunda as moderates
who were delaying the journey to independence. At that time the
trade union movement was led by Simon Katilungu, John Chasata
and Mathew Nkoloma among others was agitating for equal pay
42

for equal work, which was still a far cry in the country.
The political movement risked being made irrelevant in the
country, as Nkumbula continued to insist on a more moderate
approach to the nationalist struggle while Kaunda wanted carefully
applied schemes. Nkumbula trusted Kaunda so much that on the
day of the final split, Nkumbula was heard telling Kaunda not to
follow the group that was agitating for a breakaway. The Chingola
branch of the ANC led by a tonga speaking political militant by
the name of Samson Mukando sent a message of solidarity to the
breakaway group. The first person to get out of the Chilenje Hall
was Munukayumbwa Sipalo. He was followed by Simon Kapwepwe
and a few others.
Harry Nkumbula continued telling Kaunda not to go. Ken please
dont go, dont go. Daniel can you get hold of him Nkumbula
requested me. Later Simon Kapwepwe came back to pull Kaunda
out of the Chilenje Hall. On that fateful day, the African National
Congress split. There was total silence in the hall following the
departure of the rebels with some of us sticking like ticks to
Nkumbula.

ANC Splits into two factions

Mainza Chona had just completed his Law Degree in England and
wanted to intervene by filling in the position left by either Kenneth
Kaunda or Sipalo. We made it difficult for him even to come in and
address the meeting. Chona did not like controversies throughout
his political career. Within seventy-two hours after the break away,
a new political party was formed with Kenneth Kaunda as its leader.
The name of the party was Zambia African National Congress
(ZANC). ZANC engulfed the whole country with the exception of
Southern Province and parts of Central and Eastern Provinces.
43

The ANC became the next thing to religion in the Southern

Province. The people of Southern Province demonised ZANC as a
party of aliens and resolved that anybody who joined ZANC was
to be ruthlessly denounced. Nkumbula and I toured the Southern
Province addressing huge rallies and a lot of cattle were being
donated by ordinary villagers to the ANC. Nkumbula was an
extremely generous man, such that he was literally hero worshiped
in Southern Province. ZANC was banned by the colonial governor of
Northern Rhodesia Sir Arthur Benson and its leaders were restricted
or detained in various parts of the country.
Witingtong Sikalumbi was restricted in Namwala, while Kenneth
Kaunda and Frank Chitambala were restricted in Kabompo. Kenneth
Kaunda was later arrested, tried and sentenced to a jail term in
Salisbury now Harare. Upon his release from prison, he found that
Paul Kalichini and Mainza Chona had formed a new political party
the United National Party (UNP), which later became the United
National Independence Party (UNIP), and Mainza Chona who was
its interim leader handed over this leadership to Kenneth Kaunda.
Nkumbula and Kaunda therefore became the leaders of the two
nationalist parties that emerged following the split of the ANC in
1958. On one hand, Nkumbula was advocating a moderate approach
to the freedom struggle supported by the conservative southerners
and parts of Central and Eastern provinces, while Kenneth Kaunda,
on the other hand, who was understood to be influenced by two
extremists in the name of Munukayumbwa Sipalo and Simon
Kapwepwe advocated for immediate independence and adoption
of radical measures to attain it in the shortest possible time. It is
common knowledge that extremists do not make good leaders,
they rarely rule and if they do, they never seem to last. One needs
a combination of moderation and skill to survive in politics. Kaunda
is one such person I have known and worked with, who combines
moderation skill. He developed these attributes into an art, which
44

served him well when he became the first Prime Minister and later
President of Zambia.
Kaundas skillfulness made him survive many years in political
leadership. I remember in one of the heated meetings, Sipalo
accused Kaunda of destroying the country by using the Bible, an
accusation Kaunda vehemently dismissed. The UNIP militants
began to agitate for immediate independence. The ruling colonial
party, the United Federal Party (UFP), led by Sir Roy Welensky
and John Roberts was mobilizing mostly the white population in
the county. There was a group of white liberals who also made
admitable contributions to the politics of the country. This group
formed a party which was called Central African Party (CAP) which
was led by Sir John Moffat but, the two white dominated political
parties were not always trusted by the African nationalists.
There was an active UNIP Youth League which was at the time
led by Hyden Dingiswayo Banda, while the publicity wing was
headed by Sikota Wina. Thus the UNIP message virtually engulfed
the whole country. ANC was literally marginalized and ended up
commanding support mainly in the Southern Province. It thus
vulnerable to being called a tribal party.

My political influence in Southern Province

My political influence in the Southern Province continued to grow. I
had been Vice Provincial President of the ANC for over three years
and was then persuaded to consider running for the position of
Provincial President. During my tours with Nkumbula, I took records
of many District officials of the ANC in the Southern Province. I
confirmed my association with senior leaders in various Districts in
the province. In order to prepare for my election campaign, I started
contacting leaders in all the Districts.
45

During my tours with the President of the ANC, Harry Mwaanga

Nkumbula, I was able to know May leaders in the Districts. Among
the leaders I met were:
CHOMA DISTRICT

CHIEFS ARES

1. Philimon Kabweenda Hamaundu

2. Moses Mweetwa Singani
3. Simon Kabweenda Hamaundu
4. Gidion Munsanje Macha
5. Peter Mulunda Moyo
6. Nathan Madubansi Hamaundu
7. Nathan Kalimina Moomba

MONZE DISTRICT CHIEFS ARES

1. JOSEPH CHIKOMBO MONZE
2. Mr. Noombo Mwaanza
3. Jacob Kaale-Nick named Welensky Hamusonde
4. Saul Susiku Mwaanza

46

MAZABUKA DISTRICT

CHIEFS AREA

1. Naulo moonga Sianjalika

2. Dickson Chintombwa
Mwanachingwala
3. Simon Hanantongo
Mwanachingwala
4. Lameck Mwanamumba
Mwanachingwala
5. Layoni Habeene Mwanachingwala
6. Aaron Mwanamainda Naluwama
7. Mr. Dimba Mwenda

GWEMBE DISTRICT

CHIEFS AREA

1. Amos Mweemba Sikoongo

2. Siakubeta Robson Siameja

Mweemba

3. Jonah Mwanja Sikoongo

NAMWALA DISTRICT

CHIEFS AREA

1. Amos sichilaba Mungaila

2. Millios Syuulikwa

47

KALOMO DISTRICT

CHIEFS AREA

1. Amos Mukwalantila Sipatunyana

2. Millious Syuulikwa

LIVINGSTONE DISTRICT

Simwatacheela

CHIEFS AREA

1. Amon Lungu
2. Bright Siavuta
3. Luka Shampile
4. Isaac Kanyale

At the provincial level of the ANC, the Provincial President was a

powerful and feared man called Paul Chifula Maambo from Chief
Choongos area. The Provincial officials were Job Michelo, job
Mayanda, Nason Kabumba, Gideon Ndandala and others. It is worth
noting that soon after the ANC split, Job Michelo and Job Mayanda
were elevated to the ANC Headquarters in Lusaka. Job Michelo was
succeeded by Paul Chifula Maambo. Maambo was from Gonde area
in Chief Choongos area.
The ANC Provincial Headquarters was in Monze District became
the springboard of the ANC, whereas Namwala, the home of the
old lion Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula, was rated second and Choma
District third. The ANC had hundreds of thousands of members,
although no reliable records existed at the time. However, going
by attendance at ANC rallies, it was clear that the party enjoyed
overwhelming support in the Southern Province.

48

Contesting the ANC provincial presidency

I had been preparing ring to contest the Provincial Presidency of
the ANC for over a period of three years. My tours of the Province
with Nkumbula helped me to know ANC officials in the Province. I
then undertook a tour of all the Districts on my own, writing down
names of serving officials. I had by then amassed tremendous
influence on the ANC membership in the Province.
Using my influence and friendship with Nkumbula, I persuaded him
to shift the ANC Provincial Conference venue from its traditional
venue in Monze to Choma. My reasons for this were that I wanted
to move to a more central and neutral venue like Choma and also
partly to subdue the mob of ANC members who were not delegates
to these meetings an idea which was accepted by Nkumbula. I then
hurriedly organised to meet senior ANC officials in the Districts to
support my candidature.
I appointed powerful officials in each of the seven Districts in the
Province at that time. They were, Aaron Mwanamainda and Naulo
Moonga (Mazabuka), Joseph Chikombo and Jacob Kaale (Monze),
Gideon Munsanje and Moses Mweetwa (Choma), Millions Shulikwa
and Amos Mukwalantila (Kalomo), Amon Lungu and Bright Siavuta
(Livingstone), Wilmoti Chikwata and George Shiliwe (Namwala);
and Siakubeta, Robson Siameja and Jonah Mwanja (Gwembe).
The main campaign committee was headed by Phillimon Kabwenda
(Chairman) Nathan Kalimina (Vice chairman), and Solomon
Muchanga (member). Isaac Choongo was the secretary of the main
campaign committee. The purpose of selecting two people per
District was to organize people whom to be elected with me. The
main campaign committees job was to convince delegates to the
conference to support my candidature.
I should point out that in those years, election committees of this
49

nature were a rare phenomenon and almost unheard of. My strategy

therefore surprised many old politicians. I was liked by both the
old and young politicians. The Provincial conference was set for
August 6th, 7th and 8th 1968. The conference was moved from ANC
traditional conference site in Monze to Choma at the place where
Njase Girls Secondary School is currently located. All positions at
the ANC was conference were to be contested.
My campaign teams were ready and organised for the elections
and began processing District delegates through the Provincial
Committee which was headed by Philimon Kabwenda. There were
significant differences between notable conservative old members
of the ANC who did not trust the young emerging leaders. This
group was led by Gideon Ndandala who was also a personal
friend of Paul Maambo. Ndandala tried very hard to mobilize his
friends but to his surprise, I also had old members of the ANC who
included a financial heavy weight, by the name of Silas Dimba,
from Chikankata in Chief Mwendas area of Mazabuka District, who
threw his weight behind my campaign.
I should however point out that, financial power did not influence
anything in those days. Patriotism was the main driving force in
the struggle for independence. I was strategically nominated by
officials who did not belong to the District election committees,
which I had set up. I then proposed Amos Shichilaba, a former Kafue
pupil and distinguished student of the English language to be the
Provincial Secretary. He later on became an influential personality
in the ANC ranks.
Shichilaba was, unfortunately, killed in a tragic car accident at a rail
level crossing near Chisekese a few months before independence in
1964. I was elected President of the ANC in the Southern Province on
8th august 1962. I had double luck in that on the same day my wife,
Esther, gave birth to my third born daughter Molly Nabwaando.
50

Realising that their preferred candidate had lost, Harry Mwaanga

Nkumbula and other Senior ANC officials abruptly changed the
election rules which then allowed Paul Chifula Maambo, whom
I had defeated, to contest the post of Provincial Vice Chairman
which he won very easily. Paul Maambo was supported at that
conference by people who included Gideon Ndandala, Robson
Noombo, Nanson Kabunda and Frank Kaluwe who were some of
the ANC heavy weights.

The Dream comes true

I had by now got what had been my dream since 1953 or to be more
specific since I became a party official in January 1955, at the time I
was elected District Secretary of the ANC in Livingstone. This is the
period for four years, when I was District Secretary before being
co-opted to become Provincial Vice President for three years under
Paul Chifula Maambo. Although I was regarded as a militant in ANC
circles, this was challenged by the dramatic entry of my young
cousin Vernon Mwaanga into the politics of the country in 1961.
After my election as Provincial President, I embarked on a tour of
the whole of Southern Province aimed at combating UNIP in all
the Districts. My influence had by then extended to some part of
Central Province particularly Mumbwa where ANC subsequently
elected Allan Chilimboyi and Aaron Chikatula as Members of
parliament representing the ANC. Because of the nature of my
position as Provincial President, I was tasked to organize the first
elections under the infamous lower roll and upper roll complex
electoral system of 1962. Which was imposed by the then British
Colonial Secretary Ian Macleod. Both ANC and UNIP, were skeptical
about this electoral system, but reluctantly agreed to go along with
it in the interest of making constitutional progress.

51

There were three major political parties which took part in the
elections of 1962, namely ANC, UNIP and UFP. It turned out that
although I got involved in rigorous campaigns, my party the ANC
only managed to win seven parliamentary seats, while UNIP won
14 seats and the United Federal Party (UFP) of John Robert won 16
seats. There were some people at the time, who accused the ANC
of collaborating with the UFP and I can confess that there were
some sections in the ANC which had inclination for this line and
who supported a possible ANC UFP co-olition indirectly. I am
thankful that the group was swallowed by some of the enthusiastic
supporters of the ANC who were of the view that the party should
not link up with UFP, but with UNIP to form the first indigenous
black coalition government I can count myself among this group.

Political dynamics in Southern Province

There was a group of people lead by one of Zambias best known
writers Milimo Punabantu, who were discussing the possibility of
asking Nkumbula to go to his friend Moise Tshombe from Katanga
Province in the Congo, who had settled in Barcelona, Spain where
he was reported to have an imposing villa. John Kalenga who
joined the ANC after claiming to have been petrol bombed while
in UNIP, was a close relative of Tshombe. A trip was arranged for
Nkumbula, Punabantu, Kalenga and myself go to Barcelona to
persuade Tshombe to accept Nkumbula and accommodate him in
Spain until after the general elections of 1964. In short, we wanted
to send Nkumbula into temporary exile.
These maneuvers were being organised without Nkumbulas
knowledge. Tshombe did not like old Harrys leisure and laize-faire
style of leadership and he promptly rejected the idea. He however
gave the group some financial assistance and they returned to
Northern Rhodesia. After their return, there was another split in
52

the ANC, this time among southerners, because the scheme of

Nkumbulas forced-exile to Spain was not accepted by Nkumbula
himself. It became clear to most of our supporters that the ANC was
going nowhere.
Our splinter group was led by among others, Milimo Punabantu,
Job Michelo, Job Mayanda, John Kalenga, myself and others. The
group converged at Michelos house for a night after which a new
political party was born. The name of the new party was called
Peoples Democratic Congress (PDC) with Job Michelo as its leader
and Milimo Punabantu its Secretary General. Again I was tasked to
organise and recruit members for the PDC in the Southern Province
as Provincial chairman.
I set out to recruit people like Aaron Mwanamainda, Daniel
Simooloka, Saul Siakachoma, Nathan Siafwa, Wilson Muloongo
and others. I recruited militant teachers, among them, Samson
Namonde, Joe Mbulo, and Jethro Namakobo to mention only some.
PDC, as it became popularly known, spread rapidly throughout the
Province. However, the new party encountered many difficulties in
convincing people to accept its message, because the same people
I had worked with in the ANC were now the same people who were
being asked to join the new party.
I travelled widely throughout the Southern Province, but could not
convince enough people to join the PDC. The Partys prominent
leaders such as a Job Michelo and Milimo Punabantu could not
escape the denunciation from UNIP and being regarded as just
another bunch of triballist also tied to Southern Province despite
having people in the leadership who came from outside the
Southern Province like John Kalenga, Hudson Chonongo and a
few others. It suffered the tag of being tribal and its justification
became almost to rationalize let alone justify.
The 1964 general elections were nearing and PDC supporters and
53

sympathisers came under pressure to disband their party and

return to the ANC. I particularly came under heavy pressure and
since I had not been formally removed as Provincial President of the
ANC, a delegation was sent at my fathers village to ask my father to
persuade me to renounce my participation in the breakaway party
towards the end of 1963. We gave up the Idea of the new breakaway
party and rejoined the ANC. I bounced back as Provincial President
of ANC and set out visiting all Districts in the Province explaining
the reasons why we had tried to form the PDC and why we had
decided to disband it to rejoin the ANC. All things considered, our
return to the ANC was fairly smooth and uneventful.

54

Chapter 6

Parliamentary Politics
Once again, I set out to mobilize the ANC branches with a view
to preparing them for the anticipated general elections of 1964. I
was vying for the Choma Central Parliamentary Constituency. The
general membership of the ANC was being mobilized for these
general elections. Parliamentary Candidates were lined up for all
the seats in the Province.
My name was put up for Choma Central constituency. To the surprise
of many people, when the final list came back from Lusaka, my
name was missing. In its place there was a name of my very good
friend who was a civil servant by the name of, Edgar Munsangu,
who was put up for Choma Central Constituency. I did not contest
the decision not to adopt me as a candidate. It is not my nature to
fight for my personal role in politics and opted to go and campaign
in Livingstone were Punabantu was put up by ANC against UNIPs
Mainza Chona. Chona ended up winning the seat.
Chona was the first black, Lawyer in Northern Rhodesia, while
55

Punabantu was a graduate from Fort Hare University in South Africa.

Mainza Chona was in later years to become a senior member of
Kenneth Kaundas Cabinet, and held several portfolios including that
of Zambias vice-President and UNIP Secretary General. Punabantu
on the other hand, served as Special Assistant to President Kaunda
for nearly 15 years. ANC went into the 1964 elections with great
expectations, believing that the party was strong in all parts of the
country.
This belief was based on the fact that supporters were told by the
ANC top brass that ANC had lost the 1962 elections because Kaunda
and his party UNIP had stolen the votes. An assurance was given
that when the party participated in the next general elections in
1964, it would win because the ANC would ensure that its votes
would not be stolen this time round. The ANC leadership further
assured its members that if the people and members of ANC failed
to vote for it, trees and leaves would vote for it this time round.
Surprisingly, ANC supporters believed that as gospel truth and
proceeded to vote on that basis.
When the 1964 election results were announced, ANC got all the
seats in Southern Province except for the Livingstone seat which
was won by UNIPs Mainza Chona. ANC also won a few seats in
Central Province through Allan Chilimboyi and Aaron Chikatula.
Again the story of votes having been stolen by UNIP became an
issue. This theory of vote stealing became prominent yet again
among the people in the Southern Province in 1962, 1964 and 1968.
After the ANC lost the 1964 elections, a lot of enlightened political
organisers became disillusioned and started talking to UNIP
officials. However, Nkumbula who was a very clever politician called
a Provincial rally early in 1965 at Kookamunga. At this meeting,
Nkumbula was brutally frank and told his supporters that people
who were crying to him saying Harry, Harry! Do you want me to be
carrying you on my back?.
56

Nkumbula looked at Punabantu and also at me who was his

interpreter and said, I ask you, who are educated to go and look
for jobs which we suffered for from the government, which is now
being headed by Kenneth Kaunda. He emphasized that as ANC, we
had lost the battle but that we had fought for the Independence
of Zambia, with UNIP and should therefore not be shy to go and
negotiate for ANC members inclusion in the government which
was headed by Kaunda.
Nkumbula was a brave person who admitted that he had lost the
political battle. Many people could not believe what Nkumbula
said that day. Many went away complaining about his speech. Two
days later, I followed him at his house in Lusaka and, in confidence;
I asked that following his speech, I wanted to begin negotiating
for jobs for some of our ANC supporters who had good academic
and professional qualifications to join Kaundas government. He
reluctantly agreed and it was after my meeting with Nkumbula that
I started talking to UNIP.

Zambias first Coalition government

After the inconclusive elections of 1962, it was decided that a
group be formed to negotiate for a possible coalition government.
This group was headed by Nkumbula himself. Urgent talks
between ANC and UNIP took place which led to the formation of a
coalition government which was mandated to come up with a new
constitution. Kenneth Kaunda became the first Prime Minister and
formed the first Cabinet in 1962. Once it turned out that ANC had
been confined to Southern Province. People like Vernon Mwaanga,
Samson Mukando and others were now vindicated because they
always argued that ANC was a tribal party whose existence was
only in the Southern Province.

57

Nkumbula and his supporters blamed UNIP for the loss and accused
it of having stolen ANC votes. Nkumbula assured his supporters
that ANC would win the next elections. We had to regroup and
start organising for the next elections. But there was agitation from
some of us who wondered why ANC was being confined only to
the Southern Province.
I then decided to contact Mainza Chona to arrange for a meeting
with him, Simon Kapwepwe and President Kaunda. I met the three
of them and gave them a list of people I wanted them to consider
for employment in the government and Parastatals. Topping this
list was Milimo Punabantu. At the time he got involved in politics
he had been promoted by the Colonial Government to the position
of Provincial Information Officer, for Southern Province.
He resigned from this lucrative position, because of his desire to
fight against the last vestiges of colonialism in Northern Rhodesia.
Punabantu was an able person who had graduated from Fort Hare
University in South Africa, and was marketable because of his
educational background. Kenneth Kaunda was more than eager to
have him in the government and was immediately supported by
Mainza Chona who was Punabantus classmate at Munali secondary
School. Punabantu was the founder of the famous Ngoma Yamanu
Cultural Associassion at Munali Secondary School.
Kenneth Kaunda then called Lewis Changufu who was Minister
of Information and asked him to facilitate the appointment of
Punabantu into the Government. Changufu then suggested that
Punabantu could first be sent to the Western Provinces as Provincial
Information Officer for a specific period before he could be made
Director of the Zambia Information Services. Changufus suggestion
was cautiously accepted so as not to upset some UNIP stalwarts
who knew Punabantu as a staunch ANC supporter.
Punabantu accepted this position. He then was sent to Mongu in
58

the Western Province as Provincial Information Officer for about six

months before he was appointed Director of Zambias Information
Services. It was during that period that Punabantu met a beautiful
young lady by the name of Mary Nawa whom he later married. I
secured many jobs for other ANC former officials. However, modesty
and human decency compels me not to disclose their names.
Kenneth Kaunda asked me as to what I wanted to do myself and
whether a job in the Civil Service or in the Foreign Service would
be attractive to me, but I politely declined. I did this because I had
been a politician for a considerable time. I told Kaunda, Kapwepwe
and Chona that I had developed a very huge for politics and as
such, I would be satisfied with a political job. I told them that I did
not want to sneak out of the ANC, but that I should first tour all the
Districts in the Southern Province before resigning.
Kaunda instructed Simon Kapwepwe to facilitate the buying of a
motor vehicle for me from Modern Auto Services and this vehicle
was accordingly bought for my use. In the mean time, Daniel
Simooloka, a very courageous man who had been the mainstay
of the ANC in Ndola for many years, had now moved to Monze.
John Mukonka, a building contractor, Wilson Muloonga, Samson
Namoonde and Nathan Siafwa who was Monze District Council
Secretary, joined my team that toured the Province to explain to
the southerners, the reasons why they decided to leave the ANC to
join UNIP.

59

With my Late wife Esther Magani Munkombwe

With my elder brother Stephen Muleya and Headman Mbole

60

Inspecting my cattle at Kabebya Farm in Choma

With my son Mbole at Kabebya Farm in Choma

61

My Grandson Sitooloma sitting on a Brahman Cow at Kabebya Farm in Choma

My Piggery at Kabebya Farm in Choma

62

My Cattle, at Kabebya Farm in Choma

With Former President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda in Livingstone, 2013 and

Dr Patrick Kalifungwa (Middle)
63

Shaking hands With Gen.Kingsley Chinkuli in his office, November 4th , 1986 in Lusaka

Sharing a light moment With Sikota Wina and Given Lubinda

64

With Akashambatwa Mbikusita - Lewanika

Being Sworn In as Southern Province Minister by President Levy Mwanawasa at State

House Lusaka,2007
65

Signing Book of Condolence for Late President Levy Mwanawasa, 2008

With President Frederick Chiluba and Mrs. Regina Chiluba (with a hat)
66

Shaking hands With President Frederick Chiluba

With fellow freedom fighters Mama Betty Chilunga on the left and Mama Chibesa
Kankasa on the right
67

With the Late Benjamin Mwila at Mulungushi International Conference Center in

Lusaka, 2008

With Presidents Rupiah Banda and Jakaya Kikwete in Livingstone

looking on is Prof. Geofrey Lungwangwa
68

With President s Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Rupiah Banda in Livingstone 2010

With Presidents Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Rupiah Banda in Livingstone 2010
69

With President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania in Livingstone, 2009

70

With President Michael Chilufya Sata at a Rally in Livingstone in 2013

WithPresidentMichealChilufyaSataataRallyinLivingstone

With President Michael Chilufya Sata and Chief Mukuni in Livingstone in 2013
71

WavingtocrowdsinLivingstonewithPresidentJakayaKikweteofTanzaniaand
CatherineNamugala(extremeleft)

72

Joining MMD on October 14th 1995 accompanied by Sikota Wina and Vernon
Mwaanga in Choma
73

With Michael Mabenga at the National Constitutional Conference in 2008 in Lusaka

74

Left to right with Benny Tetamashimba, Clement Sinyinda (standing) and Mwansa
Mbulakulima, 2008

With my young brother Vernon Mwaanga and Dr. Bright Chunga at parliament
buildings, Lusaka, 2nd November 2008
75

Chapter 7

Joining UNIP

he main purpose of belonging to a political party is for that party,

to form government. At one time I got convinced that there was
no possibility for the ANC to form government. Yet as a political
party, we continued to explain that southerners had financed the
freedom struggle and that they must also benefit by having their
people participate in government. This was the message which
ANC leader Nkumbula delivered at the Kookamunga meeting at
the beginning of 1965.
I and my team toured the province very extensively speaking to
influential people. What should be known however is the fact that
I and others had demonised UNIP as a party led by aliens and any
Southerner who joined UNIP was regarded as a sellout. These are
the lessons which made pioneers of UNIP in the Province become
tribally unpopular. After extensive contacts in the province, I
then officially joined my cousin VJ, whom his father and I had
denounced so viciously in 1961 when he joined UNIP. VJ and Uncle
Elijah Mudenda who were among some of the early people who
76

refused to associate themselves with tribal political allegiances felt

vindicated.
My political journey has never been anchored or supported by a
dependency syndrome. Since joining politics and becoming a
District Secretary of the ANC in Livingstone in January 1955, I have
been pursuing a philosophy of self-reliance. I bought my first motor
vehicle from Bulawayo in April, 1955, since then, I have owned a
motor vehicle of one kind or another every year.
My uncle Samson Mwaanga had bought me a new Vanette in April
1955. It is interesting to note that although I have been in politics
as an official since 1955, I have never taken politics as a full time job.
I have always been involved in business and farming, and this has
gained me a lot of respect in my political career.

My Activities in UNIP
After joining UNIP at the end of April, 1965 I was made part of
the delegation from Choma District to a UNIP Conference held in
May. I was given a chance to speak at the Conference and I think I
made a very impressive speech which landed me an appointment
as UNIP Regional Secretary for Kalomo District. Originally, I was
supposed to be sent to Choma District but some UNIP stalwarts
like Gideon Simuusa resented my going there arranging that I had
been harassing UNIP officials and members in Choma particularly
and Southern Province in general.
I took charge of the Kalomo UNIP Regional Office at the end of May
1965. I used to drive from Chibbwalu village in chief Machas area
to the UNIP office in Kalomo. At the time the district was run by a
Regional Secretary (myself ) Youth Regional secretary (Felix Musole)
and womens Regional Secretary (Martha Mudenda). With 10 years
of accumulated experience in party organisation from 1955-1956, I
77

set out to establish UNIP branches in arrears where ANC was strong.
It should be remembered that at about that same time, Bulongo
Muchimba, one of the founder members of UNIP, was severely
beaten by suspected ANC supporters in chief Nyawas area of Kalomo
District, supposedly for his association with UNIP. Muchimba, who
was Mainza Chonas classmate at Munali Secondary School and a
very principled man, sustained head injuries, from which he never
completely recovered and subsequently committed suicide by
jumping into the Kafue river.
I developed a system which made it difficult for anybody to attack
my UNIP team. When a person died in any township and needed to
be taken to the village, a coffin, mealie meal and free transport to
carry the body to the village was provided. I and my officials would
sleep at various funerals and if during the nights some people
would want to engage in political discussions, UNIP would always
refuse and remind the people that they had come for a funeral not
politics. This tended to embarrass ANC officials who nearly always
tried to use such occasions to discuss politics.

My arrest
At one time white farmer in Kalomo District about 15 Kilometers
along the great north road had put one of his workers in the boot
of his car while himself, his wife and their dog sat in front. The UNIP
constituency youth Chairman, then Martin Mubanga, who in later
years became District Governor in Choma, relayed this incident to
me. Mubanga explained that a white man named Colet put a black
person in the boot of his car and that when they asked him why he
did that he became extremely rude.
I went out of my office and ran towards a Supermarket which was
called Share and Berrings. I found this Mr. Colet arguing with the
78

youths. I tried to ask him to come into the office with Mr. Berrings
out of respect, but he flatly refused. Instead, he shouted on top of
his voice and started insulting me and calling me four letter words.
His wife also joined in viciously hurling insults at me. I lost my cool
and got angry.
I reasoned that the whiteman needed a beating for putting a human
being in the boot of his car. I drew nearer to him and punched him in
the face and he fell to the ground. When his wife advanced towards
me, I also punched her and she too fell to the ground. During this
fracas, the shopkeepers had already telephoned the police and two
junior police officers suddenly arrived on the scene, but instead of
asking me what had happened, they instantly arrested me.
To the surprise of many on-lookers who had now converged in the
shop, I fought the police officers viciously such that they had to
call for reinforcements. By the time reinforcement arrived, I had
already left the scene and driven to the police station turn myself
in. I went straight to the officer-in-charges office and narrated what
had happened. I told him that I had beaten a whiteman together
with his wife for putting a black man in the boot of his car. I also told
him that I had beaten his junior police men, who in my view, had
acted unprofessionally by attempting to handcuff me without first
establishing the facts.
At this point, the officer in-charge reacted by telling me that I was
under arrest and asked me to take off my shoes. When word went
round that I had been arrested for beating Colet and his wife who
were die-hard racists and who had mistreated their black employee,
within an hour, a big crowd of people estimated at about 4,000,
had swelled outside the police station. This had attracted the
attention of the Provincial police command in Livingstone and the
commanding officer a Mr. Oliver then drove to Kalomo to personally
take charge of the situation.
79

Oliver immediately had an audience with me and I gave him an

account of what had what happened and he seemed convinced
about the embarrassing nature of the case. At one point the
crowd was getting extremely agitated and I was asked by the
Commanding officer to go outside and address them. I went out
of the police station where I was greeted with deafening chants
of political slogans. Those in the forefront of chanting were Felix
Musole, Martin Mubanga and Martha Mudenda. I appealed to the
crowed to remain peaceful and assured them everything would be
alright. I also thanked them for coming to give moral support.
After my address to the crowd, I went inside the police station. Oliver
was a very reasonable person and I was charged with the offence of
occasioning actual bodily harm on Colet and his wife and released
on police bond on the directive of Oliver. Joseph Muzoka Kalimina,
who was a former teacher at Chalimbana and taught together with
Josy Monga, Belemu Mudenda and Robert Mugabe (who later
became President of the Independent Republic of Zimbabwe), had
just been appointed District Secretary for Kalomo. Kalimina came
to see me immediately after my release and encouraged me to
fight on for what was right.
He then contacted a lawyer, Mainza Chona, to come and defend me.
The trial magistrate was Isaac Mundia Singulwani. Unfortunately,
Chona was misinformed about the trial date and came to Kalomo
a day after I had already been tried and fined 10 British pounds.
Some friends among the white famers were very sympathetic with
me and embarrassed by the case and ended up paying the fine for
me. I remember that there was a huge crowd at the court that day
which Joseph Kalimina and myself addressed. Kalimina described
the Colets as pure racists who would have no place in a new non
racial Zambia. Kalimina was later elevated to the position of District
Governor for Mazabuka. My influence and political strength was
enhanced by that incident, because I was seen as a stout defender
80

of the down trodden.

I can also recall another incident when Kalomo Secondary School
was being constructed by Choma contractor- Murphy Construction
Company and which employed a South African Whiteman who was
known as Jonnie. This man sent one of his workers to draw water
from a broken sewerage pipe, and then asked the workers to drink
it. Two workers drank it before being informed that it was from a
broken sewage pipe.
The following morning there was a strike at the construction
company. UNIP was asked to intervene and the people who drank
the water explained what had happened. I was angry and ordered
my youths to manhandle the culprit. He was also then forced to
drink the same water in retaliation. After ensuring that the white
man had drunk the water, we left his premises. By the time the
police came, we had already done the needful and left. The owner
of the construction company a Mr. Murphy was a good friend of
mine and was a very wealthy person in Choma. After I explained
what had happened to him, he immediately sacked him. These
were peculiar instances that happened during my time as a UNIP
Regional Secretary in Kalomo.
Kaunda run UNIP very skillfully and later appointed me as a Political
Assistant in Charge of Monze, Mazabuka and Gwembe Districts.
Once again I went round looking for party officials who had the
capacity to organise UNIP in a Province which had become addicted
to the ANC Mr. Gideon Simuusa was Political Assistant in the Charge
of Choma and Namwala Districts while Joseph Hamatwi was
appointed Political Assistant in charge of Livingstone and Kalomo
Districts. Because of my experience and the combative nature of
my political style, I had an edge over them. I drew a list of UNIP
officials whom I thought would inject new enthusiasm and life into
UNIP in my area.
81

My list of people comprised the following, George Mulamfu,

Regional Secretary (Livingstone District), Phillip Maambo (Kalomo
District), Maxwell Muleya, late Chief Singani (Choma District),
Siakubeta Robson Siameja (Gwembe District), Daniel Simooloka
(Monze District), Andrew Sibbuyu (Mazabuka District), Wilmoti
Chikwata (Namwala District). I knew some of these people well like
Daniel Simooloka and Wilmoti Chikwata, because I had previously
worked with them when I was Provincial President of the ANC. I
toured three Districts under my charge and created maximum
impact in Mazabuka because of the cosmopolitan nature of the
town. I worked in the other Districts setting up branches and
building up membership.

UNIP conference, Mulungushi Rock of Authority 1967

President Kaundas decision to call this conference, in line with the
process of democratization of all party organs. Unfortunately, this
decision to allow free competition for Central Committee posts
the most powerful party organ produced intense and bitter intertribal rivalry. There had been triballistic tendencies among some
members from the time UNIP was formed. However, factionalism
and divisions based on tribal lines were accentuated after the
party elections in August 1967. Two main groups were involved in
the elections. One camp was primarily a Bemba- Tonga- speaking
alliance which was ostensibly led by Simon Kapwepwe. He was
then Foreign Minister in the government and the incumbent
UNIP national treasurer. The other group was ostensibly led by
Reuben Kamanga, the national vice president and the incumbent
vice president of the party. The Kamanga led camp was primarily
a Lozi-Nyanja- speaking alliance. During the months preceding
the General Conference, the activists in each (group) engaged in
a bitter campaign against their opponents. UNIP was almost torn
82

apart by the intense sectionalism of the leaders and their followers.

They indulged in rumour mongering and false accusations in
order to discredit their opponents. For example, the Kapwepwe
group accused their opponents of being merely intellectuals and
CIA agents. On the other hand, the Kamanga group responded
by accusing the Bemba-Tonga alliance of being puppets of the
communists.
When the results of the Central Committee elections were
announced at Mulungushi, the Kapwepwe group won nearly
all the contested seats except one. The Lozi- Nyanja alliance was
infuriated by the results. The members of the Lozi-Nyanja alliance
cried foul. They thought that such ignominious election results
showed that their rivals had rigged the elections. They also
claimed that there was unfairness on the ground that the basic
tenets of representation at the General Conference gave an inbuilt advantage to the Bemba-Tonga alliance. When the delegates
returned to their respective stations, the split within UNIP became
serious. The partys operations were adversely affected because
the Central Committee lacked Material Unity. Its effectiveness
was reduced. To avert the crisis, President Kaunda appointed a
committee of enquiry into the allegations of serious irregularities
in the party elections at Mulungushi. The Chief Justice was the
chairman of the committee assisted by at least two independent
observers. He conducted the enquiry expeditiously and reported
his findings to President Kaunda. He stated in his report that a
recount of the votes shown that the votes had been miscounted
at Mulungushi, but that notwithstanding the successful candidates
had in fact received the most votes.
Consequently, President Kaunda was faced with a very difficult
and delicate situation. He was going to side with the losers in the
elections who demanded nullification of the election completely or
accept the election results which the Chief Justice had confirmed
83

following a recount of votes? He then proceeded to reshuffle his

entire cabinet following the election of Kapwepwe as his new
Deputy in UNIP. Kapwepwe also became vice President of Zambia.
Other cabinet appointments reflected his respect for the elective
principle, as expressed at Mulungushi. After according senior posts
in the cabinet to suitable newly elected members of the Central
Committee, Kaunda applied his skill in balancing the various
factions within the party in making other appointment to the
Central committee and cabinet.
The factional wounds evident at Mulungushi during the party
elections were too deep to heal rapidly. In fact, incidents of personal
recriminations with tribal and provincial overtone increased
considerably. The open quarrels among the leaders became a source
of embarrassment and concern to the partys leadership. In August
1967, there was a UNIP General Conference at the Mulungushi Rock
of Authority to which John Mwanakatwe has referred to above.
Some days before the conference, it was known that all positions
would be contested. At that time there was need for a person who
wanted to contest any post in the Central Committee of UNIP to get
nine signatures from delegates from each Province.
I was tasked to obtain nine signatures for Mainza Chona. I had to
trot around offices and houses to obtain these signatures for him. At
that time he was the serving Secretary General of UNIP. I first went
to the Lozi group and found that they were holding a meeting at
Sikota Winas house. The late Maimbolwa Sakubita was chairing that
meeting which I must say was well attended. I wanted to negotiate
that Munukayumbwa Sipalo should vie for the position of Deputy
Secretary General to Chona, an idea which Sipalo rejected outright,
contending that he did not want to be a Deputy to a fool.
Sipalo accused me of trying to win elections by prior arrangement.
I then turned to Arthur Wina who was going to contest the position
84

of National Treasurer. Like Sipalo, Authur Wina contended that

Elijah Mudenda, did not have national stature and that he would
never serve as National Treasurer to him. It is important for me
to state here that both Sipalo and Arthur Wina were some of the
most interactually vibrant personalities in the UNIP leadership at
that time. My personal view was that all elections anywhere and
everywhere required prior negotiations of one form or another
more so with internal party elections. A lot of planning usually had
to be undertaken to ensure that there was equitable balancing of
factional and regional interests.
After failing to persuade the Lozi group to support Chonas
candidature, I went to the Government Secretariat, the current
Cabinet Office, where I found that Easterners were also holding a
meeting which was being chaired by the late Reuben Chitandika
Kamanga. Immediately I appeared, someone from the group
said, Imwe mwayenda naba Bemba meaning that You people
have already gone with the Bembas. I denied that very strongly.
Dingiswayo Banda was asked by Kamanga to sign Chonas papers.
I then went downstairs to see Chona who was Minister of Home
Affairs and there I found Chona with Job Michelo and Job Mayanda
discussing the fourth coming elections.
Chona was standing looking outside through the window, and
he indicated that he wanted to quit politics because, according
to him, politics had become provincial, and that he did not want
to be associated with provincialism. Chona never wanted to be
identified with tribal politics throughout his political career. I was
very surprised by Chonas remarks. I asked him as to what he meant
by that. I explained that I had spent a lot of time in the last two
days explaining to various people why UNIP should keep him as
Secretary General of the party.
There was only 20 minutes before the close of nominations. Alex
85

Chikwanda was the Administrative Secretary of UNIP at the time.

After long persuasion by both Job Michelo and Job Mayanda,
Chona finally agreed to stand and I drove straight to the old
Freedom House and handed over Chonas nomination papers 10
minutes before the close of nominations to Chikwanda. We then
went to Mulungushi Rock of authority and campaigns started on a
very high note.
The battle was between Munukwayumbwa Sipalo and Mainza
Chona for Secretary General, while Arthur Wina battled it out with
Elijah Mudenda for the position of National Treasurer. It became
evident that an alliance had been formed between the Nyanja
and Lozi to have Chona challenged by Sipalo and Mudenda by
Arthur Wina. All the Bembas wanted was the two positions of VicePresident and Vice Secretary General. Southerners did not put up
anybody on those two positions. Simon Kapwepwe was standing
against Reuben Kamanga for the position of Vice President.
As chief negotiator for Choma, I went and reported this agreement
to the group. Our group included Maxwell Beyani, Joshua Lumina,
Franklin Malawo, Joseph Kulimina, Bulongo Muchimba and others,
the group was however divided with others were not very amused
by the apparent election alliance with the Bembas. They contended
that they did not want to be tied to a particular tribal group. Those
who opposed the alliance with the Bembas or northerners were led
by Chief Mapanza and included Rev. Isaac Mumpansha, Landson
Hantuba and a few others. My group contended that the northerners
offered no challenge to our candidates and as such they should
also be supported by our group. The reciprocity offered by our
group made a lot of political sense, because in politics, tradeoffs
are sometimes necessary and even inevitable.
The bemba militants were led by Sefelino Mulenga and a dynamic
youngman by the name of Martin Mubanga. Sefelino Mulenga
86

created a scare by spreading a story that Reuben Kamanga intended

to poison Simon Kapwepwe so that Kamanga would go through
unopposed. This was dismissed by Kamanga ssupporters, with
the contempt it deserved. Mubanga was also heard to be saying
that easterners were Malawians (or Nyasalanders) witch annoyed
the Easterners. To date, I still do not understand what those wild
statements were intended to achieve. The campaign started with
Easterners singing Bane Bwelani, Bwelani noose tivotele Kamanga,
(friends, come, come, lets all together vote for Kamanga
The Bembas responded by saying Natubombele pamo (lets
work together). There was near confusion in each group as a tense
atmosphere was created. Thanks go to Kenneth Kaundas coolness,
for without him there could have been violence. After the elections,
Chona defeated Sipalo and Mudenda retained his position as
National Treasurer. Kamanga lost his position of Vice-President
to Kapwepwe. Surprisingly, Kenneth Kaunda who was UNIP
President recognized the elected Central Committee by infusing
a skillful selected group of prominent individuals, while retaining
the elected central committee. I was extremely angry about what
Kenneth Kaunda had done in diluting a Central Committee which
was democratically elected. Kaunda contended that elections were
based on provincial lines and could not therefore unite the country.
It took me time to understand Kaundas formula of running the
party and the country so skillfully.
Kaunda guided us and democracy in a delicate situation where
an elected Central Committee was diluted by a skillfully selected
group of prominent individuals by the President of the party. This
is a skill which Kaunda used for a long time and that is what made
him such a great leader.
I had been working for the party as a political assistant in charge
of Monze, Mazabuka and Gwembe at the time and after the
87

conference, I returned to my home base in Monze and back to

my work were I continued forming UNIP branches and increasing
UNIP membership. Since 1967 was coming to an end and there
were general elections dual to take place in late 1968, I began
preparering to stand, as parliamentary candidate in Mazabuka
constituency where I was hoping to use the cosmopolitan nature
of Mazabuka township to win the seat for UNIP. There were people
who had ganged up to stand in Mazabuka, among them was Elijah
Mwiinga, a former school teacher at Ndondi upper school in the
Northern part of Choma District in chief Moyos area.
I had very good reasons to stand in Mazabuka Central constituency.
The main reason was the cosmopolitan nature of voters in
Mazabuka which still had little rural voter influence. The second
reason was that I had worked as UNIP organizer in Mazabuka and
had been defending improperly dismissed workers at Nakambala
Sugar Estate. This was an opportunity for me to ask workers there
to vote for me. I was totally denounced by the party hierarchy and
the result was that UNIP fielded Mwiinga against Patson Haamane
of ANC who easily defeated the UNIP candidate.
I was instead requested to stand in Mbabala which also included
my home area of chief Macha. I reluctantly agreed to go and contest
the Mbabala Parliamentary Constituency against ANCs strongman
Edward Hachilapa Nyanga. Nyanga was formerly Northern Rhodesia
African Teachers Association Provincial President. It was therefore
a clash between the former Provincial President of the ANC and the
former NORATA Provincial President.
I made intensive preparations for my candidature in Mbabala. I had
to identify the thickly populated voter areas in the constituency.
I identified places like Kabanze, Simaubi, Mangunza, Halumba,
Silukusiya, Kabimba, Macha Central and Chilalantambo. When
elections dates were finally announced, I set up campaign machinery
88

which really set ablaze the whole constituency. In my campaign, I

was joined by one of Zambians most talented and educated men,
Elijah Mudenda who also was my uncle and Cosmos Habeenzu
who later become District Governor for Choma.
Our team camphened very vigorously. We addressed a very huge
rally at Kabimba where a woman who turned out to be our own
relative, stood up after Mudendas Address and courageously said
we love you mwana wa Chibbwalu, (simply meaning that we love
you the son of chibbwalu) but the fact that you are UNIP, simply
means that we shall will not vote for you. This infuriated Mudenda
who ordered me to leave the place immediately. I was subsequently
defeated by Edward Nyanja by a very narrow margin.
After the elections, I was requested to go to the National Institute
of Public Administration (NIPA), in Lusaka to do a course in Public
Administration. My classmates included Joel Chitafu who later
went into the Foreign Service and became High Commissioner of
Zambia to Tanzania. After a long and successful diplomatic career,
he was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defency.
My conscience was not clear as to why I had been sent to NIPA, so I
went to consult my uncle Elijah Mudenda at his farm in Lusaka East.
Mudenda urged me to take up the offer and attend the course at
NIPA. He contended that if I refused, people would perceive me
to be dull and ungrateful. I did the course in a demoralised state.
After the NIPA course I was asked whether I would appreciate being
sent into the Foreign Service or join the Civil Service. I consulted
Mudenda who gave me the same reasons he had advanced when
I was selected to go to NIPA. My suspicion was that I was being
shunted either into the Civil service or the Foreign Service in a very
subtle way, and based on this suspicion I wrote a letter to Kaunda
expressing my displeasure at this turn of events. My letter read in
part:89

Your Excellency,
You will recall that you and me have both been in politics for a
long time and that I have done only two things which are farming
and politics and now that you have decided that I hand up my
boots in politics and infringe in an organisation in which I have no
knowledge or temperament, I ask you, Your Excellency, to allow me
to do the second other thing that I am qualified in which is farming.
This letter was copied to Aaron Milner who was Secretary to the
Government .Milner wrote to me directing me that Presidential
activities are never refused and that I should look back and see that
many people like late Fwanyanga Mulikita who had been through
NIPA before, sent out into the Foreign Service. I wrote back to the
President and part of my reply was as follows:Your Excellency,
You will recall that I wrote to you about my reluctance in accepting
an appointment into the Civil Service and that if the impression from
my first letter to you was that I could change my mind by accepting
an appointment into the civil Service, then that was mistaken.
Aaron Milners letter to me implied that I would change my mind
over my decision to do the second other things that I have done
in my life which is farming. I want to tell you, Your Excellency, that
I will not accept anything no matter how high it maybe because I
have by now been in politics for 15 years from 1953 to 1968.
I told President Kaunda that I would one day come back into
politics as an elected person. I wrote that I did not require any reply
since my decision not to accept my appointment was final and
irreversible. I then went to shift my family from Monze to Chibbwalu
village in chief Machas area of Choma District. I personally moved
to a Commercial farm in Mayoba which had I leased in 1964 from
a white commercial farmer who left the country at independence.
90

The farm had been taken over through a mortage held by the Land
Bank. The farm was leased to me by the Bank whose first African
Manager in Choma, was Kelvin Siwale, who went on to become the
first black Regional Manager of the Land Bank in Choma.
At about that time Maimbolwa Sakubita, who was the first Resident
Minister in the Southern Province, was removed and was replaced by
Henry Shamabanse as Resident Minister for the Southern Province.
Upon his appointment, Shamabanse assumed the Chairmanship
of the Southern Province African Farming Improvement Fund
(SPAFIF). This fund was being run by a Mr. Quinton. Quinton started
as a farmer in Choma before he was appointed to run SPAFIF. His
Secretary was a beautiful young white lady named Eunice Walker.
Meanwhile, Philip Maambo who succeeded me as UNIP Regional
Secretary in Kalomo was appointed to the SPAFIF board. Maambo
a young skilful and hard worker assumed the position of General
Manager and Treasurer of SPAFIF. The SPAFIF Board included
Lazarus Chiyabi who was one of the first black prominent farmers in
Southern Province. SPAFIF then through Maambo and Shamabanse
started lending money to blacks to buy commercial farms. Landson
Hantuba, Milimo Punabantu, Dingiswayo Banda, Nephews Tembo,
and I among many others, greatly benefitted from this fund.
I bought my second farm in Choma which I later sold to the Tobacco
Board of Zambia, whose proceeds I used to buy the current farm I
own in Choma east. Martin Mubanga who was constituency youth
Chairman in Kalomo when I was Regional Secretary had been
promoted to the position of District Governor for Choma. I helped
the UNIP Party Officials who were led by the late Maxwell Muleya
as Regional Secretary and Kachana as his District youth Regional
Secretary in mobilizing support for UNIP in Choma. I had to help
UNIP officials because I had made a commitment through some of
my letters to President Kaunda that I would return to active politics
91

as an elected person at an opportune time.

I knew that general elections were scheduled for 1973 and it was
therefore my desire to prepare adequately for these elections. My
preparations were to take almost four years from 1969-1973. In
1971, there were people in the ANC who had come up with ideas of
merging ANC with UNIP. Having had deep roots in the ANC, I became
part of the group of people who were pursuing this agender. The
program entailed a lot of consultations among high profile officials
of the ANC. Any mishandling of this proposed merger would have
created problems of untold proportions. I had been in UNIP since
1965 and served in two senior positions as Regional Secretary and
Political Assistant until 1968.
These negotiations for the possible merger of the two parties
were led by Sikota Wina and his team from UNIP and Edward
Mungoni Liso led the team from ANC and that effort, resulted in a
joint meeting being held in the Catholic Hall in Choma and to the
subsequent singing of the famous Choma Declaration at Choma
Secondary School Hall in 1972, by President Kaunda and the ANC
President Harry Nkumbula. I sat in between Nkumbula on my right
and Kaunda on my left and acted as an interpreter. The two leaders
finally signed what is known as the historical Choma Declaration.
After the Choma Declaration, elections were to be held in December
1973 which I had been waiting for since I lost in 1968. When the
1973 elections were announced, I put up an election campaign
team which covered 10 wards. I made available motor vehicles to
cover two wards each which meant that I had to mobilise 5 vehicles
to cover the 10 wards.
There were 6 rural wards and 4 urban wards in Choma central
Parliamentary Constituency. There were 8 of us who had to go for
primary elections and among us were the late Pearson Moonga,
Jonah Siandula the late Bernard Mutoloka, myself and two others.
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The party rules under the one-party state were that after primary
elections 3 successful candidates would then proceed to face the
electorate in the general elections. I came first on the list of successful
candidates, followed by Pearson Moonga and Jonah Siandula who
came third. The two, Pearson Moonga and Jonah Siandula were
local people from chief singanis area and were using the reason
of being born from chief Singanis area as strong justification as to
why they should be elected to Parliament.
I on the other hand came from chief Machas area but with deep
roots in Chief Singanis area on account that my mother a granddaughter of Chief Choma IV, (chief Singanis Chiefdom of Choma
whose name became the name of the town). During primary
elections the people who came second and third put together did
not even get half the number of votes which I got. When general
election results were finally announced, once again I got more
votes than the other two got. I was elected Member of Parliament
for Choma, the seat which had eluded me since 1962. My election
gave me a strong sense of satisfaction.

My first Ministerial Position

In 1978, the Southern Province group of Parliamentarians was
joined by Fredrick Shumba Hapunda and Dodson Siatalimi who
were later appointed Cabinet Ministers. Both of them served as
Defence Ministers. The ministerial position eluded me until after
the 1983 elections when I retained the Choma parliamentary seat
for the third time. I think President Kaunda felt embraced to ignore
me any further and I was appointed Minister of State in the Ministry
of Agriculture and Water Development.
During my first Ministerial appointment as Agriculture Minister of
State I worked under General Kingsley Chinkuli who was my Cabinet
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Minister. General Chinkuli was an extremely efficient performer who

did not brook any nosence from anybody. I served at the Ministry
of Agriculture for two years before being transferred in the same
capacity to the Ministry of Tourism, under Rodger Sakuhuka as my
Cabinet Minister. My working relationship with Sakuhuka was not
a happy one, as we had differences in approach and work culture
which made it difficult for us to work as a team. In the end, I had to
ask President Kaunda for a transfer from the Ministry of Tourism.
Instead of transferring me, it was Sakuhuka who was transferred to
the Ministry of Health. He was then succeeded by Leonard Subulwa,
a very practical and sincere person, whom I worked well with until
I was transferred to Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources where,
Paul Mulukutila a former head of the national intelligence service
became my Cabinet Minister.
I remained Minister of State for Lands and Natural Resources until
1988. I went to the 1988 general elections again with my enthusiasm
and vigour intact. This time around, one of my challengers was
Siamukayumbu Siamujaye, whom I soundly defeated. Siamujaye
petitioned my election as an elected Member of Parliament for
Choma. He contended that I had been corruptly elected, but
high Court Judge Earnest Sakala, who later became Chief Justice,
ruled that there was nothing corrupt about my re-election. My
supporters had hired two buses from Choma to join the teams of
other supporters in Lusaka.
After the Judgment was read out by Judge Earnest Sakala stating
that I was properly elected, there was deafening jubilation in the
high court. I was lifted shoulder high by chanting supporters who
were led among others by Michael Chilufya Sata. Who became the
firth President of Zambia in September, 2011. Sata put me behind
his open van while my son drove my Mercedes Benz. There were
many vehicles including two buses which brought supporters and
family members from Choma. The convoy of vehicles drove along
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Independence Avenue. I had won Choma Parliamentary seat for

the fourth time. I was convinced that this time around President
Kaunda would find it difficult not to appoint me Cabinet Minister.
As good fortune would have it, I was appointed Cabinet Minister
for Decentralization in December 1988. I set out to reorganize the
Ministry of Decentralization. I Served as Minister of Decentralization
for a year, and I think the work I did there had a major impact on our
system of Local Government in the country.
This appointment and the performance I gave to my job as Minister
for Decentralisation did not surprise my friends and supporters
because it was common knowledge that I was considerably more
influential politically, than some of those who were appointed
District Governors and here I am talking about people like Martin
Mubanga, former constituency secretary in Kalomo and regional
secretary who was made District Governor for Choma. Robinson
Siameja, whom I had appointed UNIP Regional Secretary in Gwembe
District during my tenure of office as Political Assistant in charge
of Monze, Mazabuka and Gwembe Districts in 1967. At that time
before my appointment as Cabinet Minister, I had reasoned that
Kaunda was being unfair to me although a thought occurred, that
he may have had his own reasons for not appointing me Cabinet
Minister at that time.
I was transferred to Southern Province as Cabinet Minister and
Member of the Central Committee at the end of 1989. In those
days, the Central Committee was the most important decision
making organ in the country. In a way I had achieved my important
ambition of being an active political participant in the affairs of my
country.
It was not customary for me to be accompanied by anybody when
I went to see a President, whether it was Nkumbula, Kaunda,
Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa or Rupiah Banda. I usually
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made and still make my own appointments. In politics just as in any

other industry, one needs to establish trust and never apply double
standards. If I do not like an individual, I will tell that individual that
I do not like him or her and give them my individual reasons for
taking such a position.
There were moves in 1968 after I lost elections to ANCs strong man,
Nyanga by some people to obliterate me from the political scene
hence the decision to send me to NIPA. It was revealing for me to
have seen that many of my colleagues who were my juniors were
being appointed District Governors, with the expectation of myself.

VJ Mwaangas dramatic entry into politics

Vernons militancy was first demonstrated by his writing of a
defiant letter to his father Samsom Mwaanga in 1961 with a copy
to me. In that letter, Vernon discussed his reasons for opting to
join UNIP rather than the ANC. Vernon stated in that letter that he
had decided to write to his father and myself because he saw no
future in the ANC, which he considered a retrogressive party, with
regional overtones and without radicalism or pan-african zeal. His
father and I were in shock. Vernon Mwaanga then formed a team
of young militants in Choma which included Alfred Munkombwe,
Nicholas Hanangama, Martin Jangulo and some Railway employees
who included Silumelume Mubukwanu and Gilbert Namitwe. His
father and I did not know that several years later in1965, we would
eventually prove him right and follow him into UNIP.
Vernon proved to be an accomplished political analyst who was
able to read signals as early as 1961 when he refused to join the ANC
to which a majority of his family members belonged, who included
Joni Kabeleka, our grandfather. VJ was actually able to read the same
political signals yet again in 1990. It is important for me to record
for posterity that in 1990, VJ actually walked out of the Mulungushi
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International Conference Centre where calls for the reintroduction

of multiparty politics were being debated. VJ had presented a
well researched paper to the National Conventioncalling on UNIP
to embrace Multi-Party politics in the light of events in Eastern
Europe and elsewhere in Africa. When Kaunda and UNIP rejected
this proposal, he walked out, promising never to return and saying
that he would demand a National referendum on the matter.
I followed Kenneth Kaunda to State house on the day the convention
closed and asked him as to what he had heard and seen at the
convention. I told him that my feelings were that there was so much
anti-UNIP feeling in that conventionhalland that we risked being
made redundant unless we accepted some kind of change. I then
left State House, feeling that Kaunda would seriously think about
what I had told him. The leading political pundits led by Vernon
Mwaanga, Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika, Mbita Chitala,
Arthur Wina, Frederick Chiluba, Newstead Zimba, Andrew Kashita
and Ephraim Chibwe, contended that UNIP was getting fatigued
and that it was time for change.They also argued that the people of
Zambia, had a right to make political choices.

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Chapter 8

My Entry into Parliament

y entry into parliament in 1973 was very dramatic. I joined a

group of Zambian luminaries, who included, among others;
Munakayumbwa Sipalo, Wila Mungomba, Stephen Malama,
Elijah Mudenda, Mainza Chona, Arthur Wina, Sikota Wina, Vernon
Mwaanga, Alexander Chikwanda, Peter Matoka, Namulumino
Mundia.
From the onset, I had known of my intellectual inadequacy but was
self confident, because I had read a lot of books since my school days.
I had a long debating career since the early years at Macha Central
School, Muyanda Central School, Macha Mission, Sikalongo Mission
and Matopo Mission School in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). The
18 years of my political activism improved my debating skills, and
gave me an added advantage because of my sharp voice and stern
face which I usually put on when debating.
When I rose to make my maiden speech, the House responded with
the traditional chants of hear, hear. My speech was usually clear
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and emphatic to the extent that when I had finished speaking, I

received many congratulatory notes from the front, middle and
back benches. That was to be the beginning of a long and influential
parliamentary career. It is not my nature to do anything in a haphazard manner. Politics is about influence and if one cannot be
influential, then it was time to get out of the political ring. The 10
years I spent as a back bencher in parliament from 1973 to 1983
were some of the most exciting and interesting years of my political
life.
My strategy in parliament as a backbencher was to make powerful
speeches, because there were parliamentary privileges guaranteed
to me by standing orders and the Republican Constitution. When
I became a Member of Parliament for Choma, Elijah Mudenda and
Vernon Mwaanga were Cabinet Ministers. I never understood why
Kenneth Kaunda was reluctant to make me a Cabinet minister
despite having a shared history. I had served as a District Secretary
of the ANC in Livingstone and later UNIP Regional Secretary in
Kalomo and subsequently as Political Assistant responsible for
Monze, Mazabuka and Gwembe Districts. In this regard, I had
expected that he would appoint me Minister. Kaunda however
respected me very much and admired my spirit of Candour with
which I approached many national issues.
My journey to parliament had been long and sometimes frustrating.
As stated earlier, politics is about influence and I commanded a lot of
influence among many backbenchers and Government Ministers.
I think its fair to say that Ministers respected me too, which made
my work a lot easier, when dealing with individual Ministers on
specific projects in my constituency. Southern Province members
of parliament included Kebby Musokotwane, a young vibrant,
skillful and eloquent debater, Maxwell Beyani, a hardliner Joshua
Lumina, Franklin Malawo, Bernard Hanyimbo, Chief Munyumbwe,
Amon Rex Nataala, Nathan Siafwa and others.
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During my tenure in parliament as a backbencher from 1973-1983, I

took a lot of development projects to my constituency. I convinced
Kaunda that Choma was 100 miles from Mazabuka, 110 miles from
Namwala and 117 miles from Livingstone and about 86 miles from
Maamba which makes Choma the center of Southern Province. I
also told him that Choma needed a modern milling plant. I held a
number of discussions with him on this subject of a milling plant,
as well as with the late Remmy Chisupa who was the Minister of
Commerce and Industry. Kaunda telephoned Chisupa right away
and told him to listen to what I had told him. I repeated my message
to Chisupa who was an extremely intelligent and competent person.
Shortly afterwards Kaunda directed him to travel with me to Choma
on a weekend and begin consultations with the local Council about
the possibility of constructing a Modern Milling Plant in Choma.
As a result of these consultations, Daniel Luzongo who was then
Managing Director of INDECO was tasked to Commission a study on
the milling plant project. Besides being friendly with Government
Ministers, I had undertaken tangible and visible projects to Choma
and during my 10 years in Parliament, I was credited with having
taken the best milling company in the country at the time-Choma
milling and a Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO) Branch
to Choma. I also helped to bring to Choma the second biggest
Maize storage sheds in the country in addition to Butala House.

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Chapter 9

Wind of Change in Southern Africa

he political pendulum had started changing even before I was

transferred to Southern Province. I recall that some time in
1990, a consultative meeting was held at Mulungushi International
Conference Centre where most people openly spoke about
opening up the political system in the country which had become
very fatigued. Among the most outspoken in that meeting were
VJ, Alexander Chikwanda and Frederick Chiluba. After heated
discussions and debates, it became apparent that the time for UNIP
to hold on to power was running out rapidly.
I made some efforts to see Kaunda at State House to make known
my personal view of what I had gotten out of that meeting. I think its
safe to say that Kaunda held me in high esteem as I had intervened
in some other national issues before and thought I would do the
same at this critical time in the history of Zambia. I asked Kaunda as
to what he had observed in that meeting. He responded by asking
me as to what I had seen myself. I told him that I had seen that there
were so much anti UNIP and pro-change sentiment in that meeting
101

and many prominent people who spoke used very strong language
against UNIP. I warned him that unless UNIP opened up elections
particularly at Central Committee and Parliamentary levels, the
party was most likely going to face serious political problems.
The situation in Zambia had become very explosive and I think
Kaunda read the situation extremely well. At that time, I had been
transferred to Southern Province as Cabinet Minister. As a Member
of Parliament and close confident of Kaunda, I was duty bound to
help him make some sound decisions for the sake of the country. I
prayed for days and on the third day, I decided to speak to Kaundas
son Dr. Waza Kaunda and told him that I wanted to see the old
man, your father, in your presence and that it had to be in the early
hours of the morning.
Dr. Waza Kaunda made the appointment for 5 am and I drove my
car and left it at Wazas house. We travelled to state house in his car
to meet with his father. We arrived at state house at around 4:45 am.
We found the old man already up and he received us in his office. I
then asked President Kaunda to pray. After his prayer, I also prayed.
I then started crying and tears started flowing from my eyes. Both
Waza and President Kaunda were surprised and shocked about
my conduct. I had not mentioned to Waza as to what I wanted to
discuss with his father.
I had kept what I wanted to say to myself. My opening remarks went
like this:- old man, it has become very clear to me that our time in
government is coming to an end and that those of us who are close
to you will be doing you a disservice if we did not tell you some of
the things which may injure your reputation when you finally leave
State House. As a strong democratic like you, I know that there is
serious agitation for change in this country. I know in my heart that
we have committed no crimes whatsoever apart perhaps from
overstaying in office. I want you, Your Excellency, to do something
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which many Presidents do not do or have ever done.

At this stage, I was hesitating to say what I wanted to say while tears
were continuously overflowing out of my eyes. Both Dr Kaunda and
Waza were perplexed and astonished at my actions and emotions.
I then had to pluck enough courage and said, Your Excellency,
you know that Edward Jack Shamwana and his co-accused coup
plotters have been sentenced to death by the Courts of law, but
you have the supreme power to get all of them out of Mukobeko
prison. I told him not to leave State house with bloodstained hands.
These death sentences will linger on forever in the history of this
country. You should surprise the country particularly and the world
in general by granting them pardon.
At this point, both President Kaunda and his son Waza started
shedding tears. I then continued by saying that do not leave your
children and grandchildren to be pointed fingers at by Zambians,
who will be saying that those are the children and grandchildren
who, under their fathers Presidency sentenced Edward Shamwana,
Lt General Christon Tembo and others co-accused to death. The
atmosphere in the room was so chilling and all the three of us were
just looking down with tears running down from our eyes. Waza
and I left State House and never spoke to each other in the car until
we arrived at his house.
I had not known about the impact of my message to
President Kaunda until that late afternoon. As I sat in Parliament,
I received a letter from State House. My heart bumped and I went
into the Members Room to open the letter. I was not sure about
the contents. I wondered if I was being dismissed as Minister for
Southern Province. I then had a short, prayer before I actually
opened the letter. However I believed in Dr. Kaundas sincerity and
that if he did not like what I had told him in the morning, he would
have told me so to my face.
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I remember several instances in the past when Dr. Kaunda lost his
temper. One instance was when UNIP stalwart a Mr. Mwelumuka
made a provocative remark regarding what he perceived as Bemba
dominance in the local councils, civil service and parastatals.
Mwelumuka told the 1967 National Council Meeting of UNIP about
what he felt was the dominance of the Bembas. He even provided
statistic to prove what he meant. He was only partially right because
at that time the Tongas had a good number of District Governors
such as Gideon Simuusa, (Mazabuka), Andrew Sikufweba (Monze),
Joseph Hamatwi (Kalomo) and Joseph Kalimina (Namwala).
However, Mwelumukas comprehensive statement aroused
Munukayumbwa Sipalo feelings. Sipalo retorted by saying you,
Kenneth Kaunda, are sitting there using the bible to kill the country,
when the whole country is being dominated by Bembas. In my
view, this was too sweeping a statement. Dr Kaunda was extremely
angry about both Mwelumukas and Sipalos remarks. He exploded
in anger and said, No, No, you cant use me for your tribalism, I am
going.Dr Kaunda then made a strong violent exit from the Chilenje
Hall at the 1967 controversial UNIP National Council Meeting.
The first person who tried to stop him from getting out of the
Chilenje Hall was Joseph Hamatwi. Hamatwi was overpowered and
was pushed aside by Kaunda. The other person who tried but was
also pushed aside was Mrs. Chibesa Kankasa. You can get someone
else to be your President but not me Kaunda remarked in anger. At
this point he left and drove back to State House. Simon Kapwepwe
tried to make a speech but his speech was drowned by the noise of
open and uncontrollable crying and screaming women.
Kapwepwe tried to speak again but failed. At this time, the whole
country had heard that President Kaunda was on the verge of
resigning as President of the Republic of Zambia. The Bishops of
various churches organised themselves to pray for the country and
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to persuade him not to resign. He had demonstrated his disapproval

for tribal politics tribalism in general. The Bishops managed to
convince him not to resign and he came back to Chilenje Hall the
following morning. Kaunda did not mince his words when he does
not agree with what you were telling him.
I opened the letter with fear in my heart. The letter read In part My
dear Danny as he usually affectionately called me. This morning
when you came to see me with my son Waza, I felt as if an Angel
was speaking to me from God Almighty. Your message to me was
very convincing and clear. I want to assure you that Mr. Edward
Jack Shamwama and his co-accused co plotters will be released
by tonight and that if you go to Ridgeway Hotel in the early hours
of tomorrow you will find Mr. Shamwama there, stated part of the
letter. I was hugely relieved.
I went to the Ridgeway Hotel at about 2:00 am and checked at the
reception. The receptionist told me that Edward Shamwama was
booked in room 105. I got to the room and knocked on the door.
Jack Shamwama was very hesitant to open until I mentioned my
name. I am Daniel Chibbwalu Munkombwe. He then opened the
door and started weeping and I also joined him in the crying. There
was a moment of deep silence in the hotel room. Later he said to
me Mwana Chibbwalu, I was dead.
I never revealed anything to him about my subtle role in his release.
I cannot adequately, described how indated I am to both Harry
Mwaanga Nkumbula and Kenneth Kaunda for being my political
mentors. It was a sign of great statesmanship and leadership for
Kaunda to agree to call general elections even when he still had
two more years to go in his Presidency in 1991, so as to avoid a
situation where the country would degenerate into anarchy. Even
in a One Party Participatory Democracy, people to a great extent
debated freely under Kenneth Kaundas leadership.
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I was Cabinet Minister and Member of Central committee for

Southern Province for only one and half years and it became clear to
me that our party UNIP was losing ground though out the country.
The people in the Southern Province were still licking their wounds
after Nkumbula and Kaunda forced them into the One Party State.
To me the move to get the people of Southern Province into the
one party state system was good because the southerners were the
only ones who remained in the opposition and for 10 years they
were in the opposition progress and development were greatly
retarded in the province.

106

Chapter 10

The Formation of MMD

fter the National Convention of 1990 and the various speeches

made by people like Vernon Mwaanga calling for change of
the political system in the light of changes which had taken place
in Eastern Europe and the constitutional conferences which were
taking place in French speaking West Africa, and specifically in Mali,
Togo and Ivory coast etc, it became evident that we were about to
witness something dramatic and new in our country.
Kaunda had at one time, had stated that what was happening
in Eastern Europe would not happen in Zambia. The economic
situation in Zambia had deteriorated and shortages of essential
commodities, such as sugar, cooking oil, detergent soap, mealiemeal, etc. Donor inflows had dwindled and the kwacha exchange
rate against the US dollar and other major currencies had
plummeted. The Mwamba Luchembe short lived coup of June,
1990, also showed that the people of Zambia wanted to see change
of the Political system in our country.
After recognising that the anti-one democracy and the pro107

democracy activists were being well received and heard all over
the country, Kaunda called for a referendum to enable the people
decide, whether Zambia should return to Multi-party politics. After
vigorous campaigns by pro-democracy activists this referendum
was then cancelled a few days before it was to be held and Kaunda
then summoned Parliament to amend article 4 of the Constitution
of Zambia, which recognised UNIP as the only political party in the
county.
The MMD was formed in 1990 and spread like bushfire sweeping
throughout the whole country. I regard myself as a political
conservative and I stood by Kaunda and UNIP. Some groups of
people came to see me several times at my house and office to
try and persuade me to leave UNIP and join MMD and warned me
that I would remain alone in UNIP as I had remained in the ANC.
I told them that I could not abandon Dr Kaunda because of the
confidence and respect he had for me. This was how deep my
loyalty was to Kaunda and UNIP at the time. When the MMD was
formed in 1990, Dr. Kaunda embarked on reorganising UNIP. He
telephoned me at night and asked me to travel to State House in
Lusaka. I went immediately and found him waiting for me. After
exchanging greetings and our usual jokes Kaunda said youngman,
I want you to speak to Kebby Musokotwane in Ottawa, (Canada).
I want to reorganise UNIP, and in his view, Kebby was one such
youngman whom he wanted to see become Secretary General of
UNIP. Kebby was then serving as High Commissioner to Canada.
There were massive defections at the time from UNIP to MMD all
over the country. UNIP had gone into irreversible decline, and was
facing the prospect of losing power after 27 years.
After Dr. Kaunda had telephoned Kebby Musokotwane and told
him that Munkombwe wants to speak to you so hold on? I then
spoke to Kebby about the need for him to come back to Zambia
and lead UNIP as Secretary General. Kebby argued that he had
108

been out of the country for sometime and would find it difficult to
adequately play that role. I said, Me, Daniel Munkombwe and Dr.
Kenneth Kaunda will campaign for you and at that point, Kebby
agreed to our proposal to return to Zambia from Canada, just in
time for the National Conference of UNIP which was to be held at
Mulungushi Rock of Authority.
Musokotwane then put up his name for the position of Secretary
General of UNIP and was challenged by one of the UNIP starwants
Alexander Kamalondo who was also vied for the same position.
Dr Kaunda threw his weight behind Kebbys candidature and
Musokotwane won by a land slid margin. He then embarked on
a programme of reorganising UNIP countrywide. After UNIP was
defeated throughout the country in 1991 a General Conference
was then called at Namayani Farm in Lusaka in 1992.

Namayani UNIP Conference

At that conference Kenneth Kaunda and all Provincial Leaders,
committed themselves to float Musokotwane Presidential
candidate for UNIP. It had become necessary for Kaunda to step
down as President of UNIP, to allow for a new leadership. Three
names came up for the position of UNIP President, and these were,
Kebby Musokotwane, Alexander Kamalondo and a newcomer by the
name of Yoram Goodwin Mumba. Yoram who had been implicated
in the coup plot of 1980 was an inconsequential candidate because
he was new in the political circles of UNIP. The battle was between
Musokotwane and Alexander Kamalondo.
The battle lines were drawn and campaigns started. Yoram Mumba
had some University of Zambia supporters who displayed his
posters. They were suspected to have ballot papers which were
supposedly premarked. Kaunda then directed me to go into the
hall were those UNZA students were surrounded by delegates who
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were loyal to Musokotwane and Alexander Kamalondo. Yoram

Mumba was considered by most delegates as an outsider who could
not be trusted with the weighty responsibility of party President.
On the other hand Musokotwane, a former school teacher and
talented orator who was at carefully and wisely chosen by Dr.
Kaunda as Prime Minister of the country, won the UNIP presidency
by a landslide margin. At a very colourful ceremony at Namayani
Farm, I stood in between the two leaders interpreting both Dr.
Kaundas and Musokotwanes speeches. Dr. Kaunda performed
a ritual of blessing Musokotwane by placing his famous white
handkerchief on his head in the full view of the delegates.
There was deafeaning jubilation at Namuyanga farm. Musokotwane
worked hard with General Benjamin Mibenge who became
Secretary General of UNIP, to recognize the party. There were a lot
of people in the country, who believed that UNIP could be revived.
However, barely three months after Musokotwanes election at
Namayani, there emerged a very strong ant-Kebby group within
UNIP. This group was critical of whatever move Kebby wanted to do
for the party. To date, I still do not understand what their motives
were.

Musokotwane ousted as UNIP president

It became evident that these people were exerting a lot of pressure
on Kaunda to reclaim the Presidency of UNIP. They were doing this
in my view, because they knew that only Kaunda would denounce
Musokotwane. A UNIP Conference was then abruptly called in
September 1994 where vicious campaigns took place against
Musokotwane. At UNZA, busloads of youth were organized to
support Kaundas group whom I can at best describe as pure political
hooligans. One of the prominent Kaunda campaigners was General
Malimba Masheke a former army commander who became Prime
110

Minister of Zambia. Kebby Musokotwanes group was led among

others by General Mibenge and myself.
We contended that a blessing could not be withdrawn because
Kaunda had blessed Kebby at Namayani. I violently differed with the
Kaunda group. I argued at the time that Dr. Kaunda blessed Kebby
Musokotwane and blessings could not be withdrawn just like that
without valid reasons. When Isaac in the bible by mistake blessed
Jacob instead of Esau, Isaac could not withdraw the blessings. You
people I confronted General Masheke who was the leader of the
Kaunda Group your actions will destroy UNIP. I warned General
Masheke that their action of trying to force Kaunda back into the
Presidency of UNIP would divide and eventually destroy the party.
I suspected that Kaunda must have accepted this move much
against his better judgment and I forgive him if I misjudged his
intentions. I led a very spirited campaign for Musokotwane but
ultimately discovered that, the pro Kaunda camp were more vicious
than our group because they consisted of fanatical drunkards
from Mutendere township in Lusaka. General Mibenge was lifted
shoulder high and almost strangled and had to run back to our
camp for safety. UNIP has never been and may not be the same
again. Kebby died later from natural causes and was buried at his
home in Chief Musokotwanes area.
General Masheke attended his burial but was heckled by mourners
at that funeral. After Kebbys death, I was in a state of political
confusion. The youngman I helped to groom for leadership since
1973, and who had held several Ministerial portfolios including that
of Finance, rising to the all important position of Prime Minister of
Zambia, was no more.
In 1973 I had to tell a Mr. Sibalwa that we wanted to plant a seed
that would germinate and bear fruit. Kebby become a very robust
Prime Minister of this country and I supported him until his death,
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just as I had supported Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula until death. After

Kebbys death I remained in the United National Independency
Party but also remained in a state of political confusion. I met
my cousin and political schemer Vernon Mwaanga several times.
Vernon is good at reading political signals and minced no words to
me. Up to that time, he had deliberately refrained from discussing
politics with me, perhaps out of respect for me as his elder brother.
It should be recalled that in 1961 Vernon had made a direct entry
into the United National Independency Party and ignored the
family ties with the African National Congress. I then went and saw
Frederick Chiluba who was not a stranger to me. Chiluba, a trade
unionist and I spoke the same language when I was a backbencher
in parliament for 10 years as a Member of Parliament for Choma
Central Constituency. I spoke the language which workers liked.
Trade Unionists like Chiluba, Newstead Zimba, John Chisata, Chitalu
Sampa and others became very close friends of mine and regarded
me as their ally and spokesperson in parliament.
Chilubas meeting with me was very exciting indeed, because
Chiluba respected me, as did Nkumbula, Kaunda, Levy Mwanawasa,
Rupiah Banda and now Micheal Sata. We postponed our meeting
with Chiluba and resumed the meeting with him at State House
this time with Vernon Mwaanga in attendance. I made my position
very clear to them that my moral conscience was at a very low
ebb. I wanted to resign from UNIP and that my resignation from
UNIP should not be by myself alone, but that I wanted many UNIP
officials and members to do the same. The two agreed to support
my entry into MMD. We agreed that my entry into MMD should
have maximum impact; I then arranged to join MMD together with
hundreds of UNIP members joined on the same day. Many other
UNIP members joined MMD later. By this act, I had closed the door
on my involvement with UNIP.

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Chapter 11

My Politics After Leaving UNIP

efore formally resigning from UNIP to join MMD, I undertook a

tour of all the Districts in the Southern Province and compiled a
list of District UNIP officials throughout the province. I sent Lorries
to ferry UNIP party Officials and members and fellow farmers to
a mammoth rally in Choma. Many people started arriving 3 days
earlier at my Kabebya Farm before the appointed rally day. I also
invited former UNIP leaders who had joined MMD.
Among the former leaders who had joined MMD were Dodson
Siatalimi a former Minister of Defence and MP for Sinazongwe
Constituency, Bobo Sinamusanga, Aaron Mwanamainda, George
Cornhill and many others too numerous to mention. I invited
prominent people to speak at this rally. Among them were Sikota
Wina and his late wife Princess Nakatindi Wina, Vernon Mwaanga,
Leonald Subulwa, Kaunda Lembalemba, Dodson Siatalimi, Bobo
Sinamusanga and representatives of various districts in the
province.

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Conspicuously missing, however, were all MMD Members of

Parliament. I had spoken to most of them about my intentions
to join MMD and that I wanted to organize a dramatic entry into
MMD from UNIP. I came to understand later that my joining MMD,
was perceived by many, as undermining their perceived influence
in the MMD. I had, on many occasions, discussed my joining MMD
with the party President Frederick Chiluba. Chiluba was extremely
keen to have me join the MMD and working with VJ, he facilitated
some of the logistical arrangements for my rally.
I joined MMD with the free mind and the fact that I had held senior
positions in some political parties that existed in the country
before, put me at an added advantage. It has never been my nature
to undermine anybody in the top leadership of any party. My
influence in the political arena in the country has been based on
my honest approach to issues and my culture of hard work, which I
was taught to embrace by my ancestors at a very young age.

Resentment from some MMD leaders

After I joined MMD, some members of the party were uncomfortable.
They wondered why I was always so close to President Chiluba.
One day, some MMD members asked how and why I was so close
to Chiluba. I thought that was very stupid thinking. I remained a
suspect in the MMD until I decided to resign and look for people
who were anti-MMD. I thought that I had sufficient support and
experience to mobilize an anti-MMD campaign in the country. I left
MMD to UPND, because I felt sidelined by some of my colleagues.
I should be quick to point out that both Chiluba and VJ were not
part of this campaign against me. They therefore felt genuinely let
down when I left MMD to join UPND.
I went to see my old friend Jeremiah Munangandu and the late
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Charles Hakoola and held long discussions with them. We drove

to see the late Levy Mwanawasa in Lusaka to ask if he would be
willing to lead a new political party. Mwanawasa told us he was
not keen to lead a new party. He told us bluntly that he had a lofty
programme in MMD. He told us that he co-founded MMD and
that was the reason he had challenged Chiluba for the presidency
of MMD in 1995. He then told us to go and see the late Edward
Shawama, to find out if he had the appetite to lead a new political
party. Mwanawasas refusal to lead a new political party was blunt
and categorical.
We then drove to Shamwanas office and explained the reason for
our visit to him. We gave him the same message we had earlier
delivered to Levy Mwanawasa of soliciting his consent to lead a new
political party that was in its formative stage. Shamwana explained
to us his difficulties and among them were that he had been just
been released from prison after having been condemned to death
and was going through a process of rehabilitation. He told us that
he was not prepared to take on such a major task. I must say that he
was extremely polite but firm.

Recreation of Anderson Mazoka

We drove back to Mwanawasas home and relayed the massage
from Shamwana and his reluctance to accept our proposal to lead a
new political party. Mwanawasa was brutally frank with us and told
us about his vision within MMD and directed us to go and approach
the late Anderson Kamuela Mazoka to discuss the possibility of
forming a new political party. We then made an appointment to
see Andy as he was affectionately known
He set a date for us to see him. We went to see him in his posh office
at the Anglo-American head office in Lusaka. We had a very fruitful
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discussion with Mazoka who narrated how he was prevented by

Chiluba from holding a post in the MMD in Bauleni ward where he
was elected as ward treasurer and how his vehicle was detained at
state house for no apparent reason. However Mazoka told us that he
needed time to make sufficient consultations with his employers.
We held a number of meetings for the purpose of forming a new
political party, at that time in order to try and build a consensus.

How UPND was born

It is important for me to point out that Mazoka was attending these
meetings solely to give guidance and to assure attendants that he
would be available to lead the new party at an opportune time. A Mr.
Mweene who was a secondary school teacher at Choma secondary
school, was elected as interim leader of UPND until the elegant
and flamboyant Anderson Mazoka came into the political scene
of Zambia as leader of the United Party for National Development
(UPND) I was elected as Provincial chairman at Fred Mudendas
farm in Choma.
After my election I took Mazoka too many parts of Southern
Province. I remember his Royal Highness Chief Sinazongwe asking
Mazoka about his political connection with me. Mazoka replied
by saying that he knew me from the time he worked as General
Manager of Zambia Railways through Flanklin Malawo who was
the first black person to operate a locomotive train in Zambia.
Prominent politicians from Southern Province wanted Mazoka to
contest the 1978 elections during the one party system, but be
declined.
Mazoka had exhibited strong leadership at Zambia Railways where
he ended up holding the top post of General Manager. He resigned
after a trumped up case of stock theft of cattle at Muzoka railway
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siding in Southern Province, between Pemba and Choma, were he

was implicated together with Vernon Mwaanga. The alleged cattle
theft issue was thoroughly investigated and dismissed as mere
fiction by people who did not know anything about cattle. I went
with Franklin Malawo several times to persuade Mazoka to resign
from Zambia Railways and join politics and contest a parliamentary
election either in Kabwe or any other seat in Monze District.
However Mazoka did not support our view, but subsequently
resigned from Anglo-American Corporation to lead the UPND.
Mazoka was not therefore a stranger to me. When he assumed
the presidency of UPND with pomp and splendour having studied
at Ndondi Primary School, where his headmaster was my uncle
Samson Mwaanga, Rusangu Mission in the Southern Province,
Mungwi Boys Secondary School in Kasama, Northern Province
and was armed with a good engeneering degree from a reputable
American university. This gave him a broader national character
and appeal which was essential.

UPNDS Performance in the 2001 tripartite elections

During the 2001 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, UPND
under Mazokas leadership won many seats in Western, NorthWestern, and Central Provinces and took all seats in the Southern
Province except for Itezhi-tezhi where Bates Namuyamba won for
MMD. Mazoka therefore took four provinces out of nine winning
49 UPND parliamentary seats. Under Mazokas leadership UPND
had become a very formidable political force in Zambia. In the
Presidential Election, Mazoka had scored 27% of the total votes cast
to 29% for the late Levy Patrick Mwanawasa. Mwanawasa therefore,
won the Presidency under the first past the post electoral system.
Unfortunately the UPND did not do well in the other parts of
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the country. Later on utterances at Mazokas funeral by two of

UPNDs overzealous politicians from Southern Province Siacheye
Madyenkuku and Ackson Sejani who thought they would be heros
by saying that UPND would only be led by a Tonga President. They
openly said that Mazoka could not be succeeded by a non tonga
and warned that those who thought they would put a non tonga
were playing with fire in their hands.
These statements by Madyenkuku and Sejani were extremely
damaging to the UPND , and made against the background that
Sakwiba Sikota was at the time Anderson Mazokas Vice President.
As misfortune would have it, Sakwiba Sikota a prominent senior
lawyer was eventually harassed at the UPND Convention by a
newcomers supporters in the name of Hakainde Hichilema. This
infuriated many UPND Members of Parliament who did not come
from Southern Province, which then led to a subsequent weakening
of the UPND in other Provinces, as party members and officials
began to defect to the MMD and other political parties.

UPND disintegration
After the election of Hichilema as UPND President senior UPND
official such as Sakwiba Sikota, Robert Sichinga, Henry Mtonga
Kanyama respectively subsequently resigned from the UPND.
Credible people like Partrick Chisanga and others found it difficult
to belong to a party whose former leader Anderson Mazoka had a
national vision. I had previously resigned from UPND for the same
reasons after some people vowed to turn the party into a Provincial
party. We argued that a party should not only embrace other tribes
at election times, but must be able to embrace all Zambians all the
time. The view of many people that UPND was a tribal party had
now been given credence.

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Even after the general elections of September 2011, UPND had

no members of parliament in high voter catchment areas like
Copperbelt, Northern, Lusaka, and Eastern Provinces. While I agree
that Southern Province is a high voter populated area, its influence
in terms of forming Government will remain a pipe dream if other
provinces do not support it.

Rejoining MMD
Shortly after this sad development in UPND, I decided to rejoin
MMD for the second time and made a very strong commitment to
make this my last journey in my political party world. After re-joining
MMD, I contested the MMD party elections where I was elected as
MMD vice provincial chairman for Southern Province, while the late
Clement Chiimbwe was elected Provincial chairman. During the
2001 tripartite elections, I stood as a candidate in Choma Central
parliamentary constituency, my former seat but I lamentably lost
to UPND. MMD ended up losing 18 out of 19 parliamentary seats
in Southern Province, winning only Itezhi-tezhi through Bates
Namuyamba. I lost Parliamentary elections three times in 1991,
1996 and also in 2001.
Immediately after the Party was defeated, I considered taking up
the leadership of MMD. I therefore decided to contest Provincial
party elections in Monze against Morgan Mabuwa, after Chiimbwe
who was the Provincial MMD chairman had withdrawn from the
race. I won by a comfortable margin and Mabuwa who was regarded
as an intellectual was thought to be a new comer to the politics of
the Sothern Province. After I won elections, I started reogarnising
the MMD in the Province. My experience in the African National
Congress was that political loyalty based on ethnicity was difficult
to sustain.

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It was my wish to leave an indelible mark in the political history

of Zambia. I had been district secretary of ANC and Provincial
Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Congress (PEDCO), I was UNIP
Regional Secretary in Kalomo, Political Assistant in charge of Monze,
Mazabuka and Gwembe, Minister for Decentralization, Minister for
Southern Province and Member of the UNIP Central Committee,
as well as in various other positions in political and Government
service.
What does any human being need to achieve beyond what I
have done so far? Apart from this, I was honoured by President
Mwanawasa as Grand Commander of the Oder of Distinguished
Service 1st Division. I was therefore assured of a huge cheering
crowd at the time I was making my last journey into MMD as a
political party.
Chiefs in Monze who attended my ceremony who included Chief
Nalubamba, asked President Levy Mwanawasa, as to why I could
not be appointed Minister in his government. Mwanawasa was
frank and told the Chiefs that I had contested a Parliamentary seat
in the 2001 Presidential and Parliamentary elections as such, the
Constitution of Zambia forbade him as President from nominating
any person who had contested and lost elections during the life of
that Parliament.
I served as a Member of Parliament for 19 years and had lost
elections on a number of occasions. This was not because I did
not perform well, but was due large measure to the fact that the
people of Zambia in 1991 were fed up of UNIP. In 2001 the people
of Southern Province had rallied behind Anderson Mazoka and
UPND, but as was my nature, I stuck to MMD and ended up losing
elections.
It is my experience that when politics become ethnically based
the question of an individuals popularity becomes irrelevant. Who
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would ever imagine that I would be defeated in 1991 by a person

who, although highly educated, was regarded as a political novice,
Siamukayumbu Syamujaye? Siamukayumbu was the son of a
respected educationalist who was also known as Siamukayumbu
Syamujaye. I was involved in burying the dead in most villages of
Choma Central Parliamentary Constituency more than him. I had
organised loans from the Agricultural Finance Company and from
lending institutions for the people of Choma. I am also credited
with having brought different development projects to Choma.
However, because of my association with UNIP, there was little I
could do to sway voters to my side, hence my defeat to an MMD
candidate.
During the 1996 elections, I chose not to contest a parliamentary
seat but campaigned vigorously for MMD in the whole Province.
Even with this vigorous campaign, our party MMD still lost miserably
to UPND. These are the elections which were boycotted by UNIP,
on grounds that a constitutional amendment which was passed
by parliament in 1996, concerning qualifications for Presidential
candidates was aimed at preventing Dr. Kaunda from standing for
President. We had however adopted very credible candidates in
terms of both character and educational qualifications. We had put
up people like Solomon Muzyamba (Kalomo Central) Senior Lawyer
Emmerson Machila (Magoye), David Diangamo, an Economist with
a chain of degrees (Namwala Central), Tyson Hamaamba (Monze
Central) and a Veteran Trade Unionist Oast Choongo for (chikankata).
We had a very big problem of selecting a candidate in Livingstone
which was regarded as a safe seat for MMD. Many People wanted
Fred Chuunga another senior lawyer but then ended up nominating
Alice Simango a Provincial Minister who had connections with
some top people in the leadership of MMD in Lusaka. She was finally
adopted for the Livingstone seat. Mrs Simango, although a political
activist, was less credible in terms of education and character. She
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lost and the results were extremely embarrassing to the MMD

generally and I suppose to those in Lusaka who pressurized for her
adoption.
There were allegations that this affable lady was involved in all
sorts of scandals which were never proved, but as expected, the
opposition heavily captalised on those rumours. The result of
the election was that MMD managed to win in 11 wards and the
President won approximately 13,000. In a political system which is
competitive, the choice of candidates does matter much. The leader
of the United Liberal Party (ULP) Sakwiba Sikota, who stood against
the MMD candidate Alice Simango won the Livingstone seat. The
people of Livingstone chose Sakwiba Sikota, who was obviously a
better candidate.
I continued as Provincial chairman of MMD after the Parliamentary
and Presidential elections. The late President Levy Mwanawasa
sent word through the Provincial Permanent Secretary, Darius
Hakayobe, to the effect that he wanted to visit the Province to
inspect arrears which were flooded as a result of excessive rains.
The Provincial Minister Mulyata was at that timeunder suspension.
The most affected arrears were in Chief Mwanachingwala, Chief
Siamusonde Chief Choongo and Chief Monze where there were
many people who needed government help. I therefore decided
to go and be with the President in the absence of the Provincial
Minister. The President arrived at Mbiya where many people
had been evacuated and were living in tents. Mwanawasa then
addressed a colourful meeting of local residents and undertook an
aerial view of the flood affected areas.

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Lunch with President Mwanawasa

The President then addressed another meeting at Monze urban
school grounds after which we went for lunch at the Golden Pillow
Lodge. He told his staff that, he wanted to have a private lunch with
me as Provincial chairman of MMD. The staff prepared lunch for the
two of us and then the President started speaking to me and said
Ba Munkombwe, I want to tell you that you have been embarrassing
me because each time I come to any part of southern Province I find
you there all the time. This happens Even when I do not ask you to
travel. As President, I want to give you a job which will suit you.
This is a job which will enable you to have a vehicle and a driver.He
continued I will ask you to relinquish your post as Provincial
Chairman of our Party MMD. After you have done so, I will ask you,
to continue organising our party in another capacity.
I kept wondering what type of job it would be. I tried to resist
relinquishing my party post as Provincial chairman without
knowing what position he intended to give me.
His answer was simple and straight forward. He said, Please old
man trust me. I felt completely bewildered and confused as I
escorted him to the plane. I went back to my home in Choma with
confidence that the President would never abandon me because
we had been friends since his days as a practicing senior lawyer in
the country. Mwanawasa had been my confidant for many years
and this gave me a lot of confidence in him. In short, we were close
personal and family friends.
I telephoned the first lady Mrs. Maureen Mwanawasa, about my
conversation with the President. Her reply was that the President
told her that he was going to give me something important but
that he never revealed what it was. Two weeks later, there was
a ward by-election in Katombola constituency in Livingstone
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District, where MMD had put up Shabby Mushabati against a UPND

candidate. I, went to campaign there with the Provincial MMD
Secretary, Emmanuel Siamwela and the MMD Provincial chairlady,
Mary Mukwiza. We won the ward by-election by an overwhelming
majority.

Appointment as Southern Province Minister

As we were celebrating the victory on our way back to Livingstone,
a phone call came from State House and the Private Secretary
Differ Mulimba told me that the President wanted to speak to me.
I told Mulimba to put me through to the President who was in a
very jovial mood. He began the conversation by saying, badaala
(Meaning old man), I am appointing you as Minister for Southern
Province .I would like you to allow me make an announcement that
you will relinquish the position of MMD Provincial Chairman, but
that I am not barring you from talking about politics. The President
said that he was going into a press conference and would make the
announcement. I thanked him for the confidence he had shown in
me and promised that I would do my very best to serve him and
the country.
For sure he made the announcement that he had appointed
veteran politician, Daniel Munkomwe, as Minister for Southern
Province and nominated him as a Member of Parliament. The
President further said, I have asked Mr. Munkomwe to relinquish
his position as Provincial (MMD) chairman Mary Mukwiza was with
me in the vehicle which was taking us back to Livingstone. I had
not told Mary Mukwiza what I had discussed with the President on
the telephone.
On the 13:15 hours news bulletin, there was an announcement
of my appointment as Minister for Southern Province. There was
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jubilation in Livingstone particularly and in Southern Province in

general. Mary Mukwiza came to where I stayed at the house of the
Livingstone District Commissioner, Francis Chika. Chika had already
heard the news on the radio. She then called Emmanuel Siamwela,
the Provincial MMD secretary, to come to Chikas house where I
was. Siamwela came immediately and there were celebrations and
jubilation involving Chika and his wife, Ms. Mukwiza, and others
who had come to the house to offer their congratulations.
Meanwhile there were also celebrations throughout Southern
Province. I had been in the Southern Province Administration prior
to 1991 as a Cabinet Minister and Member of the Central Committee
of UNIP. Somehow as I packed by bags out of the Government
Office and Government house in Livingstone, in 1991, I told some
of the people who were very disappointed about my going away,
that I still had hope that I would one day come back, no matter how
long it would take.

Thumbs up to President Mwanawasa

After 17 years out of a Government office I was back in the same
office and house which I had occupied earlier. I thanked my God
for giving me this opportunity once again. Above everything else
I thanked President Levy Mwanawasa for many reasons which
included: Rejecting a very narrow idea of being made leader of a
political party which I Jeremiah Munangandu and late
Charles Hakoola wanted him to lead, and for insisting that he
had a vision within MMD which he had for sure lived to see.
Conferring on me the Honour of being Grand Commander of
the Order of Distinguished Service 1st Division.
Appointing me Minister for Southern Province.
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Swearing in Ceremony at State House

At a Swearing-in Ceremony at State House, President Mwanawasa
said

I have appointed you because I know that you are
hardworking and an achiever. Can you therefore go and work to
prove that your age will not be a hindrance to your performance.
I accepted this job with humility but also with joy. I knew and
understood the Presidents words to mean that if I underperformed
there would be consequences, to my political career, which was still
ongoing.

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Chapter 12

Back into a Government Office

arranged with the Permanent Secretary to get into the office after
my swearing in, and made arrangements to address the senior
members of staff in my office. My address went as follows:
I have come back to work with all of you and I have some demands
to make on you :- (a) I will demand hardwork, (b) I do not want to
be compared to former Provincial Ministers who have been here
because I know that even George Mpombo was here and is now a
Senior Cabinet Minister.
I know Chilufya Kazenene, I know Alice Simango and lately I also
happen to know Joseph Mulyata. I told the officials that I did not
want to dwell on peoples weakness but that I would concentrate
on improving on their strengths. I have my own style of working
and told them that I would demand performance. I arranged to visit
12 chiefdoms in the Province and these were Chief Sekute, senior
Chief Mukuni, Chief Sipatunyana, Chief Siachitema, Chief Chikanta,
Chief Macha, Chief Singani, Chief Moyo, Chief Mwanachingwala,
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Chief Sianjalika, senior Chief Monze and Chief Choongo.

The Permanent Secretary instructed District Commissioners
to arrange these meetings for me. I also wanted all the village
headmen to attend my meetings. The meetings were very
successful and I preached about development which I described
as having no political colour. I told my audience that those who
were old enough knew how painful it was that southerners had
lived under the rule of the opposition from 1962 1972. I stressed
that this retarded development in the Province during those years.
I said that Southern Province could not afford to continue being in
the opposition any more. My first visit covered two chiefs in each of
the following Districts, Kazungula and Kalomo and one Chief each
in Monze and Mazabuka.
While I thought I was just testing the water, most village Headmen
appreciated my efforts so much that they demanded that large
groups of people be addressed by me during the second round of
my visit. I then took along the Permanent Secretary and all Provincial
Government Departmental Heads such as the Department of
Veterinary services, Provincial Agricultural coordinator, Water affairs
and the Provincial Director of Health. This ensured that if technical
questions were raised relating to each Department, an officer was
available to answer those particular questions.
I introduced Darius Hakayobe, the Permanent Secretary, and he
told the cheering crowds that I had brought the Government to
them. I emphasized that Government is not run by a Minister but
by the civil servants whom I had taken to the. Some of issues raised
by villagers were dealt with immediately after our meetings with
the Chiefs and village headmen.

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My attitude towards work

My attitude toward work has always been constant and practical
and I always exhibit self confidence in whatever I do. I then made
a comprehensive tour of Lodges, Hotels and some selected places
involved in tourism promotion in Livingstone. Livingstone, as
a tourist Capital of Zambia had not changed much since I was a
Cabinet Minister there, way back in 1991. It was evident to me
that the problems in some of our neighboring countries had not
pushed the tourist overflow into Zambia generally and Livingstone
in particular. It quickly became clear to me that we had to do more
to lure tourists into Livingstone, through vigorous systematic
marketing.
The purpose of my tour was to encourage tour operators about
the need for them to continue investing in Zambia because
Zambia provided a peaceful enabling environment. I then entered
Parliament building after anabsence 17 years. I came back a
strong as I went away except this time as a nominated Member
of Parliament. Whichever way I came through, I was a Member of
Parliament all the same. There was jubilation and cheering when I
was escorted into the chamber by two accompanying persons, to
be sworn in yet again as member of parliament.
Some mischievous Lozi members of parliament played cousinship
by saying recycled, recycled (meaning recycled politician). When
I decided to make my maiden speech, I think I once again made a
speech which inspired many members of parliament from both the
front bench and the backbench. During my turbulent days on the
backbench for 10 years from 1973 1983, I shared a parliamentary
platform with some of the most talented intellectual debaters.
These were VJ, Muunakayumbwa Sipalo Arthur Wina, Stephen
Malama, Wila Mungomba, Valentine Kayope, Joshua Lumina,
Rupiah Banda, Alexander Chikwanda, Elijah Mudenda, Nalumino
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Mundia, Kebby Musokotwane and Daniel Lisulo among others. This

also gave me an opportunity to share a political platform with some
of the most hardened politicians in the country such as Edward
Mungoni Liso, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, Samson Mukando,
Humphrey Mulemba, Justin Musonda Chimba, Henkey Blackskin
Kalanga, Sylvester Chisembele, Reuben Chitandika Kamanga,
Dingiswayo Banda, Shadreck Soko, Francis Chembe, Mufwaya
Mumbuna and many others.
I learnt most of my debating skills from all the intellectuals I have
interacted with in my life. From hardened politicians, I learnt their
courage and endurance as a student activist at Matopo Mission
Secondary School. This was under the tutorage of Joshua Nkomo,
Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole, George Nyandoro, Lepold Takawira
and others between 1952 and 1954. I consider myself one of the
fortunate living politicians who came on the delegation of Joshua
Nkomo and Ndabaningi Sithole to elect Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula
as President of the ANC at Shamulyamoomba in Monze in 1953.
This was the conference where Nkumbula replaced Mbikusitha
Lewanika as ANC President and Kenneth Kaunda replaced
Robinson Nabulyato as ANC Secretary - General. My role at the
Shamulyamoomba conference near the present Choongo Basic
School in Monze was limited because at that time in 1953, youths
were not considered politically mature or relevant but were instead
recruited into what was called the action groups. I however had
been a secret young activist under Joshua Nkomo, In Southern
Rhodesia now Zimbabwe. I was fortunate that between 1953 and
1983, I came in to close contact with some of the most outstanding
trade union leaders who included Simon Chola Katilungu, Jonathan
Chivunga, John Chisata, Frederick Chiluba, Newsted Zimba, Mathew
Delux Nkoloma, David Mwila, Ditton Mwiinga, and many others too
numerous to mention.

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Because of my association with leading politicians like Arthur Wina

a leading economist as well as with trade unionists, my economic
and political horizon greatly improved and armed me with better
skills and knowledge as a backbencher in parliament.
My debates were usually well researched and I spoke the language
which pleased both the politicians and trade unionists. As an
individual, I have distinguished myself as a genuine contributor in
various aspects of national development. I can recall that during the
days of Namushi Namuchana, who later became a District Governor
that backbenchers used to strategies and take government to task.
Party whips used to have a very difficult time keeping us in check.
When the constitution process started under the Mwanawasa
Presidency, I spoke regularly in the National Constitutional
Conference (NCC) and also continued speaking in parliament until
it was dissolved to pave way for the 2011 trapartite elections. When
I chose to do something I did it with confidence and honesty. The
challenge of my generation and that of generations before me is
that there are very few people who have written about themselves
or about their contemporary experiences. Surely some of the big
names of politicians or leading educationalist who come to mind are
Joseph Mweemba, Samson Simakulila Mwaanga, Belemu Mudenda
and Robinson Nabulyato who made an indelible contribution to
democratic debates in this country. Joseph Kalimina, Josy Monga,
Samson Muvwende Mudenda, Jonathan Muleya, Simon Mudenda,
Isaac Munsanje, Job Michelo, Job Mayanda and many others too
numerous to mention, are among those who did not write about
their contributions to education in the country. Shall we let their
contributions remain with them in their graves? This is why I am,
referring to some of them, in the hope that future historians will
write about them.
Some of the people, I have mentioned in this book like Jonathan
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Muleya, Simon Mudenda, Samson Mudenda, Samson Mwaanga and

Isaac Munsanje were responsible for sharping my early life. These
men taught me the art of total self discipline which is essential for
anybody to succeed in life. Success come at a cost, and this cost
simply means that one has to refrain from involvement in some
pleasures of life such as beer drinking, smoking and other vices,
which retired progress. Admittedly I have had other weaknesses
which are well documented, which hinge around my married life
and which made me a willing victim of African and tonga culture.

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Chapter 13

I Felt Betrayed

ichael Chilufya Sata resigned from the Movement for Multi

Party Democracy (MMD) in September 2001 and formed the
Patriotic Front (PF). He then contested the Presidential elections of
27th December 2001 hardly three (3) months after he had formed
the Patriotic Front. Between 2001 and 2006. Michael Chilufya Sata
embarked on a vigorous nation-wide campaign to recruit members
into the Patriotic Front and position himself and his Party for the
Presidential and General Elections of 28th September, 2006.

It was clear that the Patriotic Front was continuing to make

inroads into the political landscape of Zambia and by the time the
Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections of 20th
September, 2011 were held, Michael Sata and the Patriotic Front
had made significant progress in the Country as subsequent results
clearly showed.
It was evident that the General Election Campaigns which followed
were vibrant and robust and after very hard fought battles, the final
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results were announced on the evening of 22nd September, 2011 by

the Returning Officer in the Presidential election, Chief Justice Ernest
Sakala and the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Zambia
(ECZ) Justice Irene Mambilima which showed that Michael Chilufya
Sata of the Patriotic Front (PF) polled 1,170,966 votes or 41.98% of
the votes cast and was sworn in as the 5th President of Zambia on
the steps of the Supreme Court Buildings on 23rd September, 2011.
Mr. Rupiah Bwezani Banda of the MMD received 987,866 votes or
35.42% of the votes cast while Mr.Hakainde Hichilema of the UPND
received 506,763 votes of 18.17% of the votes cast. The seven other
presidential candidates, Charles Milupi, Elias Chipimo Jr., Tilyenji
Kaunda, Edith Nawakwi, Ngandu Magande, Godfrey Miyanda and
Fredrick Mutesa obtained a combined total of 2.6% of the total
votes cast.
In all, there was a low voter turnout of 2,789,340 voters out of
5,167,154 registered voters or 53.98% representing a drop of nearly
17% on the voter turnout in 2006 of 70.77%. These figures suggest
that there was voter apathy, with voter turnout being higher in
opposition strongholds and lower in MMD strongholds.
On the morning of 23rd September, 2011, outgoing President
Rupiah Bwezani Banda conceded defeat in a farewell Radio and
TV broadcast and congratulated his successor President Michael
Chilufya Sata and wished him well. The torch of power had been
democratically passed on to another breed of leaders without
violence or bloodshed and setting a good example for the rest of
Africa, where in some cases, change of government even through
the ballot box, had caused upheaval and violence of untold
magnitude. Zambian democracy and maturity had triumphed yet
again.
Many people have been asking and wondering why the political
animal from Mbole Village in Choma District joined the Patriotic
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Front. It will be recalled that there was once a flamboyant, eloquent

Kenyan intellectual giant called Tom Mboya. I dont consider myself
in the Tom Mboya mould. I consider myself more in the mould of
Josiah Mwangi Kariuki popularly known as JM in Kenyan politics,
who was flamboyant, charismatic and an outspoken man of the
people.
I made up my mind in 2011 to part company with my party the MMD,
when at the Chiefs council meeting in Mazabuka, my President
Rupiah Bwezani Banda in the presence of Dr. Brian Chituwo who was
called as a witness, told me that he wanted to win votes in Southern
Province without my input or participation. He then accused me of
having gone to that meeting for the purpose of undermining his
Provincial Minister, which was further from the truth. I could read
the embarrassment on Dr. Chituwos face, who was called to listen
to what he had to tell me.
I then responded by telling the President that if so, it would be
difficult for him to win votes in Southern Province without my
involvement and participation. He found this out the hard way after
the General Elections of 20th September 2011. I reminded him that
in 1996, President Frederick Chiluba of the MMD, received 13,000
votes and in 2001, President Mwanawasa received 33,000 votes
and this figure rose in 2006 and 2008, when Rupiah Bwezani Banda
was a Presidential candidate. I told him that, my experience of
Southern Province which is vast had taught me that it is possible
to increase the number of votes obtained by other Political parties
without winning Parliamentary seats.
At this point, he threatened to fire me as Minister and then turned
around and asked me when last I had seen my young brother V.J.
Mwaanga, to which I replied that I had not seen him for three weeks.
He then proudly said I have written V.J a letter removing him from
heading my Campaign team. He then went on to say I want to win
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the Presidency without V.Js input. What subsequently happened

on 20th September, 2011, is a matter of public record. Here was
a President, who was a long time personal and family friend,
essentially telling me and my young brother V.J that were useless
in politics and instead ended up surrounding himself with a group
of people who told him only what he wanted to hear. In politics,
all of us have personal choices to make. When we make the wrong
choices, we pay a heavy price for our choices. I felt betrayed and that
is why, I ended up joining the Patriotic Front (PF) where my services
and contribution were appreciated. I did not join the Patriotic Front
because of politics of the belly as is being generally suggested by
my detractors, because I am an economically independent person
who has lived off my farm activities and other business interests for
many decades.

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