HUMPHREY MULEMBA—THE FREEDOM FIGHTER WHO SERVED UNDER THREE FLAGS
Mulemba was one of Zambia’s old-school political heavyweights, a freedom fighter, trade unionist, parliamentarian and minister who managed to serve in UNIP, MMD and the National Party.
In today’s political language, some would probably accuse him of “crossing the floor.” But in Mulemba’s generation, political careers came with enough twists and turns to make a modern GPS give up.
Born in 1932, Mulemba after completing school, joined the workforce at Nchanga Copper Mines in Chingola, where he worked as a miner and later became an assistant personnel officer.
He became deeply involved in the trade union movement and rose to become full-time secretary of the General Workers’ Union. His political activism was not exactly a hobby without consequences. In 1959, he was arrested and detained alongside other nationalist activists.
Released in 1960, he returned to political work with UNIP and eventually became the party’s secretary for North-Western Province.
When Zambia became independent in 1964, Mulemba entered Parliament as MP for Lukusuzi and was appointed Deputy Speaker, serving alongside Speaker Wesley Nyirenda. By 1967, he had graduated from the parliamentary chair to the Cabinet, becoming Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and the Public Service.
And Mulemba was clearly not the type of politician who enjoyed staying in one ministry for too long.
He was subsequently sent to Luapula Province as Minister, then to Barotse Province, before returning to Parliament as MP for Chipata East in 1969.
He later served as Minister of Trade, with industry added to his portfolio, and from 1970 became Minister of Mines and Mining Development. His experience in the mining sector had already seen him chair the Mines Zambianisation Committee, placing him right in the middle of one of the most important economic transformations of post-independence Zambia.
Then came 1991.
The political earthquake that ended UNIP’s 27-year rule saw several prominent UNIP figures cross over to the newly formed Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD). Mulemba was among them.
He returned to Parliament as Solwezi Central MP and was appointed by President Frederick Chiluba as Minister of Mines and Mineral Development.
But, as Zambian politics has repeatedly demonstrated, political marriages can be shorter than campaign promises.
By 1993, serious disagreements had emerged within the MMD. Mulemba, together with prominent figures including Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika, Baldwin Nkumbula, Emmanuel Kasonde and Arthur Wina, became part of a breakaway movement that accused the Chiluba administration of abandoning the principles upon which the MMD had come to power.
The rebels eventually formed the National Party (NP), with Mulemba becoming its leader. The party quickly became one of the most significant opposition forces outside UNIP.
In a series of by-elections following MMD defections, the NP demonstrated that it was not merely a political club formed over tea and complaints.
The real test came in 1996, when Mulemba became the National Party’s presidential candidate.
Unfortunately for him, the political arithmetic was rather unforgiving.
The election was held amid controversy, while UNIP and several allied opposition parties boycotted the polls following constitutional changes that affected Kenneth Kaunda’s eligibility.
The Electoral Commission recorded Frederick Chiluba of MMD with 913,770 votes, followed by Dean Mung’omba of ZADECO with 160,439 and Humphrey Mulemba with 83,875 votes.
The National Party nevertheless won five parliamentary seats, making it the largest opposition party in Parliament at the time, despite UNIP’s boycott.
Mulemba’s presidential bid therefore did not produce State House, but it cemented his place among the political veterans who challenged the new MMD establishment from within the opposition.
His political journey was remarkably long: from nationalist activist and political detainee, to trade unionist, UNIP Cabinet minister, Deputy Speaker, MMD minister, opposition rebel and finally presidential candidate.
In other words, Mulemba had a political CV that would make today’s politicians look like interns.
He had served under UNIP, helped usher in the MMD era, rebelled against the very government he had helped bring to power, and eventually found himself competing against it for the presidency.
Zambian politics has always had a special talent for turning yesterday’s comrades into today’s opponents and tomorrow’s negotiating partners.
Mulemba died in February 1998, aged about 65. His political career had ended, but his place in Zambia’s political history was already secured.
Reference: Prabook.com