HUMPHREY MULEMBA – FREEDOM FIGHTER AND POLITICIAN
Humphrey Mulemba was a senior Zambian politician and freedom fighter who served under many porfolios in three parties namely UNIP, MMD and National Party.
Humphrey Mulemba was educated at Chikuni. He worked as a miner at Nchanga copper mines in Chingola and later became an assistant personnel officer. He was involved in trade union activities in which he rose to become full-time secretary of the General Workers’ Union. His political activities often landed him in trouble and in 1959 he was rounded up with the other activists as a political detainee. In 1960 he was released and resumed political work with the United National Independence Party. Later he became UNIP secretary for the North-West Province.
Humphrey Mulemba entered Parliament in 1964 as MP for Lukusuzi and he was also appointed Deputy Speaker, serving for three years alongside Wesley Nyirenda, the Speaker. In 1967 he became Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and the Public Service. The following year he was sent to Luapula Province as Minister. His next move was to Barotse Province as Minister from March to September 1969.
He was elected MP for Chipata East in that year and became Minister of Trade, subsequently having industry added to the portfolio. As Minister of Mines and Mining Development since 1970 he has consolidated the transformation of the administration in the Copperbelt begun with him as chairman of the Mines Zambianisation Committee.
During revolutionary change of power from UNIP to MMD in 1991, Humphrtey Mulemba alongside other UNIP stalwarts like Michael Sata crossed over to the MMD which took over power in a landslide victory on 31st October 1991. From 1991 to 1993 he served as Solwezi Central MP under the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD). President Chiluba also appointed him to the ministerial cabinet portfolio of Minister of Mines and Mineral Development from 1991 – 1992.
Just one year into power splits and squabbles appeared in the MMD and Humphrey Mulemba with the likes of Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika (founder of MMD), Baldwin Nkumbula (son to freedom fighter Harry Nkumbula. Baldwin was later assassinated. He was shot dead whilst driving in a car chase) and Emmanuel Kasonde, former finance minister and former founder and Chief executive of Century Holdings). They rebelled against the governance of President Chiluba’s MMD government accused it of being corrupt. A new opposition party called National Party (NP) was formed and Humphrey Mulemba became it’s president. The new National Party had targeted the 1996 presidential elections to show off it’s popularity and muscle but the elections were marred with wide accusations of malpractice although the MMDs popularity was still proved to be high. The National Party lost later it’s steam.
Humphrey Mulemba was born in 1932 and died in 1998.
Reference
- Prabook.com
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IN PICTURE
On the extreme right is Mr. Humphrey Mulemba, in the middle is Mr Benjamin Yoram Mwila, former defence minister in the MMD government and also former ZRP President. Mr. Mwila was one of the chief financial sponsors of MMD with the likes of Emmanuel Kasonde during the 1991 elections in which MMD won and took over from UNIP. On the extreme left is Mr. Fines Bulawayo a key figure in the UNIP government under President Kenneth Kaunda. Mr Bulawayo served as MP for Chingola East from 1968 – 73 and also as Minister of state for Copperbelt province (1971-73).
Pic credit: Benjamin Mwila Jr
Zambian History in Pictures