WE HAVE NEVER ADVOCATED FOR CESSATION; WE HAVE ALWAYS ADVOCATED FOR THE BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT TO BE HONORED!
We don’t at all believe the bonds of marriage, union that binds us together as One Zambia One Nation has broken down irretrievably to justify a break up or cessation. NO!
But with sensible and sober leadership, the current storms, differences that threaten our union, and unity can be reconciled and resolved. And we must do everything possible to resolve these differences and misunderstandings that threaten our national unity.
There’s a need to mull over things and respectfully pay great attention to the sentiments or resolutions coming out of Limulunga.
As we have stated before, advocating for the honouring of a legal agreement can never be a crime and should not be criminalised.
As we have also advised before, if we truly want a harmonious One Zambia One Nation, we have no alternative but to seek consensus, accommodation, and understanding over the Barotse Agreement issue. Threats and intimidation are not the right way to resolve the issue.
This week, we paid a courtesy call on Ngambela Mukela Manyando, Prime Minister of Barotseland, at Limulunga Palace, the Headquarters of the Litunga, King of Barotseland.
Among many issues discussed, we stated that a Statutory Instrument will be issued on the day that I will be sworn in as President of Zambia to declare Western Province as Barotseland.
We have consulted widely over the Barotseland issue. If that continues to be the wish of the people of Barotseland, the change of name will be done the very day I will be sworn in. We shall remove Western Province and replace it with the original name. No one ought to stop the declaration of Western Province as Barotseland as it has no negative impact on the rest of the country. Name change is not new as regions and countries do it as need be.
Fred M’membe
President of Socialist Party
Kindly take note that the correct word for this story should be “secession” and not “cessation”. My International Law course on Political Autonomy and Federalism remind me of this.
Fred Namakando Mmembe is a pathological liar and divisive character. He still thinks he can deceive people with his long useless articles as he used to do with long malicious editorials in his now defunct Post Newspapers. He has been caught pants down when he announced that he would declare Western province as Barosteland. He has been lectured on what the Barosteland issue really about. Now he has switched to talking about honouring the Barosteland Agreement. Mmembe should not think he has the monopoly of capabilities to deal with the Barosteland issue. It’s more complex than characters like Mmembe can comprehend.
“Mmembe should not think he has the monopoly of capabilities to deal with the Barosteland issue. It’s more complex than characters like Mmembe can comprehend.”
The above summarises the true position on this matter. I might add that if this was as simple an issue as Mr. Mmembe appears to suggest, previous administrations would have resolved it already.