ETHNICITY IN PUBLIC SERVICE FROM 1971 – 1991 & 2001 to 2011

Mcpherson Chanda Wrote;

When one reads some current unchallenged articles and statements which attack Bemba dominance in Zambia since Independence, it becomes necessary to check our history.

Ethnic History in Public Service:

Did you know that after the culmination of Kaunda – Kapwepwe fall out in 1971 no “Bemba person” held the position of Veep/SG, Prime Minister, Speaker, Secretary to Cabinet, Police IG,BoZ Governor, Army Commander etc for 20 years? These were Executive decision making positions which subsequently also affected hiring into the Civil/Public Service.

Observed: Dr Kenneth Kaunda “balanced” his top public service appointments to accomodate all Provinces. It is actually an affront on KK’s unifying leadership style to assert that he allowed Bemba dominance. In any case, he crushed it by dissolving the 1967 elective UNIP Central Committee in which majority where Northerners.

As for President Chiluba – another Bemba speaking President – he has not been acknowledged for “blocking” the fellow Bembas such as Mr Sata, Mr Kasonde and Mr B.Y. Mwila as successors. He instead “chose” Levy Mwanawasa a Lenje – Lamba as his #successor to avoid continuity of “Bemba” leadership. He has been less – praised for this #unifying choice which he made.

Moral : Before you lay a faulty foundation of a “Bemba dominance” since Independence which now needs #reversal and proceed to build a wrong super structure on it, check history properly.

Different ethnicities in Zambia can raise grievances for “discrimination” at different times. We cannot build the future on “grievances”. What is beneficial is to just proceed in an EQUITABLE MANNER which TREATS everybody in the PUBLIC SECTOR the same.

To unify Zambia, there should be no tribal pattern in appointments. Even the forthcoming delimitation exercise should not be seen as biased in the name of correcting “non – existent” historical discrimination.

Conclusion:
This post is against the practice of tribalism. It is for inclusion. It encourages looking at every ZAMBIAN as being exactly like you. Make no difference.

Pic : Kenneth Kaunda led a diverse public service in which Northers did not generally have top positions.

Caveat: If you get angry with this article, then you want a distorted historical narrative.

TIMELINES OF PROMINENT LEADERS IN ZAMBIA FROM 1971 – 1991

We have too many young people such that the 70s and 80s feel like antiquity. We however, need to understand our history correctly so that we do not make wrong decisions.

In this article, we will specifically look at top Office bearers in Government for the period 1971 to 1991 against the indictment of “Bemba hegemony or dominance” since Independence. My hope is to placate this #sense of grievance. If needs be, we will further examine the period 1991 to 2011.

The timeline below will show that assuming KK was Bemba 😊, then all regions shared power. If he wasn’t Bemba, the conclusion would be different.

When Zambia turned into a One Party State in 1972, the position of Vice President was replaced with Secretary General of the Party ( as the Party was “supreme” to the Government). The third in command was the Prime Minister. The other Offices were the Speaker and Chief Justice.

1) Office bearers of Secretary General position:

1. Alexander Grey Zulu : 1973 – 1977
2. Mainza Chona: 1977 – 1981
3. Humphrey Mulemba: 1981 – 1985
4. Grey Zulu: 1985 – 1990

This position of 2nd in command rotated among Eastern, Southern and North – Western Province.

2) List of Prime Ministers

1. Mainza Chona: 1972 – 1975
2. Elijah Mudenda: 1975 – 1977
3. Mainza Chona: 1977 – 1979
   (overlapped as SG):
4. Daniel Lisulo. 1979 – 1981*
5. Nalumino Mundia. 1981 – 1985
6. Kebby Musokotwane: 1985 – 1989
7. Malimba Masheke: 1989 – 1991

This position was occupied by a Southerner or Westerner.

3) List of Speaker of National Assembly

1. Robinson Nabulyato: 1968 – 1988
2. Fwanyanga Mulikita : 1988 – 1991
3. Robinson Nabulyato: 1991 – 1998
4. Amusa Mwanamwambwa : 1998 – 2011
5. Patrick Matibini : 2011 – 2021
6. Nelly Mutti. 2021 – to date

This position has largely been occupied by a Westerner to – date

Observed:

Dr Kaunda practiced the above pattern of “regional balancing” in other positions not listed here which largely promoted Southern and Western Province alongside Eastern Province because he felt that he HIMSELF was Bemba.

The other reason for non – appointment of Bembas to these top post which is cited by political analysts is that because most of Bemba – speaking people were more loyal to Kapwepwe than to him, he felt betrayed and disowned and had to ensure that Bembas did not hold key positions after 1971. In any case the key Kapwepwe supporters such as Mr Justin Chimba and Mr Robinson Puta were taken into Prison without trial from about 1973 to 1984.

My Copperbelt Childhood Experience:

Growing up on the Copperbelt it did NOT matter what tribe the Prime Minister or SG was. We read about them in CIVICS. We were “infatuated” by a young and charming young Prime Minister Kebby Musokotwane. When he visited my Primary School in Ndola in 1986, it was a joy to see him. We affectionately nicknamed him “Musoko – soko”.

Of course, KK often used the word “tribal balancing”, but it didn’t register. Only by looking back today does one realize that the currents of regionalism which we grapple with today have been with us the past 55 years. History is still alive.

Conclusion : All regions have had a bite of the Cake. There is nothing to #reverse. Let us be united and avoid pointing at one another..

Find below the gallery of our leaders under KK.