WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WHEN NGONIS WERE IN BEMBALAND- THE HIDDEN TRUTH.
Interesting that the article that i did on Tipu Tipu is trending but at the same time has stirred controversy among the readers. This is why i ventured into this field of systematic study of the Ngoni history because I saw the many inaccuracies in most narratives. Lucky for me , most of sources are primary sources that is them being written or published either by the people mentioned in the stories or when these people were alive.
I often wonder how and where people get some of these narratives from. I read with amusement a comment on the Tipu Tipu article that Ngonis abducted a Bemba Princess and then when she delivered whilst still in Bembaland, they took her back to her family with the baby which was named Mwamba. This made me burst into uncontrollable laughter but it also made me realise how we stil have lot of work to do.
The Bemba Princess left Ngoniland when our history had already started being dotted down. She was even interviewed before leaving Ngoniland and her village was at the Msekera. Her description is even given in the notes of those who saw her; she had been ngonilized as her ears were also slit. She left when Ngoniland was occupied by the colonial masters. I wonder how someone can have incorrect information in this matter. The same woman died in 1937 and the Bembas who know their history know this very well.
Now back to the Bemba-Ngoni confrontations, i notice again how people seem lost on this matter. Some are asking how come Ngonis were defeated around 1869 when i said they left in 1856. Again this shows how dangerous it is not to research and read thoroughly. They were TWO different Ngoni groups in Bembaland after 1850. It was the Macumi/Lufo group that was the first Ngoni group to arrive and set base in Bembaland around 1849.
Almost around the same time, another group, which rightly is called the Mphezeni group also set base at their capital Tintini. These were on a different side as the Macumi group. ThThese were on a different side as the Macumi group. This is very important to note! Inyandezulu Mphezeni and his group left Bembaland around 1856 having fought with the Bembas of Chitimukulu atleast three times. These trekked along the Muchinga escarpment and crossed the Luangwa in grand style in 1860. This group is the one that ended up in Eastern Zambia.
The Macumi/Lufo group remained in Bembaland and continued their skirmishes with the Bembas. Now this group befriended the people of Mwamba and even Mwambwa himself encouraged the Ngonis to attack the Bembas of Chitimukulu. Indeed the other name of Lufo apart from Mphelembe is MWAMBA. Even the records in Mzimba rightly tag Inkosi Mphelembe as also Mwamba. This group would remain in Bembaland until when Tipu Tipu came into this Kingdom to trade with Bembas (this was not his first time to meet King Chitimukulu and his people). And this is where they took advantage of him and coerced him to fight on their side.
And that’s how the Ngonis of Inkosi Mphelembe or Inkosi Mwamba were defeated and expelled from Bembaland and by late 1869 were camped at Sitwe (i have been to where they were and the area has some of Nguni clans) and proceeed to Mzimba to join his brothers. Indeed the records again there rightly confirms there was no Inkosi Lufo in Mzimba until late 1870. Now, we should appreciate that this group remained friendly to the Mwamba’s people but with the Bembas of Chitimukulu, they were eternal enemies.
Now if you have followed me, you will notice that two different Ngoni groups fought with Bembas at at different intervals. But by 1869, there was no any Ngoni group in Bembaland. Now around 1877, almost a decade after the expulsion of the Lufo group (Macumi had died and was buried in Bembaland), the Biza leader Chifundo sent envoys to Mzimba. The group went to ask for help from King Mmbelwa KaZwangendaba to help them against constant Bemba attacks. And King Mmbelwa dispatched an army for this task, this group led by Ngonomo Makamo and Chidumayi Ngulube only arrived in 1878.
This group was from the Mmbelwa Ngoni section, kindly follow me here, it had never been in Bembaland. This group fought with the Bembas who were commanded by Chandalea, a brother of the Chitimukulu. This was an epic battle and according to Ngonomo it lasted three days and Bembas were defeated and pushed further to the delight of Chifundo. Around this same area, Dr Stewart had arrived in Mzimba and when the group arrived back home, they were surprised to have had visitors in their lands. The missionaries mention this very battle between the Ngonis of Mzimba and the Bembas.
Photo Credit: Ncwala Zambia
©️ Gumbi Kaziguda Jele