Maravi

Grandpa died a prisoner, says Robby Mututwa

Grandpa died a prisoner, says Robby Mututwa
By Mwala Kalaluka in Senanga
Tue 19 July 2011, 14:00 CAT

THE 92-year-old former Ngambela of Barotseland who was early this year arrested and charged with treason by the government over the Barotseland Agreement discourse did not die a happy man, says his grandson.

Robby Siamana Mututwa, in an interview in Senanga on Friday, shortly before the ex-Lozi treason accused, Maxwell Mututwa, was put to rest at Silele village, said his grandfather died as a prisoner.

Siamana said Mututwa’s death, after collapsing in his bedroom on July 9, was devastating to the family since he played the role of both mother and father to most of the children that were under his wings.

“It is very devastating more especially that he played a role of a father, mother. We grew up without mothers and fathers. We have been kept by him up to university,” Siamana said.

“Concerning what is being said that he died a happy person, I am saying that really, it is not true and sincere to say that he died a very happy man. It was not true to say that. Where a nolle prosequi is entered, it does not mean that you have been freed. He was actually in some sort of a prison. He died a prisoner.”

Siamana said Mututwa reconciled with the government because he had realised that it was slowly paying attention to the issues that he had been promulgating over the Barotseland Agreement issue.

“He reconciled with the government when he realised that reconciliation was the only key to stability. What I want to say is that he had issues with the government such as the Barotseland Agreement,” Siamana said.

“As such he saw no need of antagonising the government since it said ‘let us sit down and find a way of having this problem resolved.’”

Siamana said he did not want to delve into the circumstances that could have led to his grandfather's demise but that there was still an outstanding issue that the government had to address with the family, concerning Mututwa being tortured in detention.

“The government has to find time to sit with us as members of the family. We have to pursue his vision. We had issues of him being tortured and we feel as members of the family that we must have dialogue with the government over what happened to him,” Siamana said.

“You remember that when he came out from detention he had even asked the government to explain to him what wrong he had done for him to be locked up.”

Siamana said his family was thankful for the assistance rendered by the government towards Mututwa's funeral but that the issue of discussing the circumstances of his detention remained top on their agenda.

“He meant a lot to us, we can't just bury and forget about him,” Siamana said, adding that the family would not allow people to politicise Mututwa's death.

Maxwell Mututwa, a former Ngambela of Barotseland was in January this year arrested together with other 20 Lozis and taken to Lusaka Central Prison where they were charged with treason over issues surrounding the Barotseland Agreement.

He was released from Lusaka Central Prison when the State entered a nolle prosequi against him but he had already spent over a month in detention, part of which he spent at the University Teaching Hospital UTH receiving medical attention.

Following his release from detention in Lusaka, Maxwell Mututwa asked President Rupiah Banda's government to explain why it arrested him when all he was doing was to try and present the people’s wishes over the Barotseland Agreement to the government.

Maxwell Mututwa, also expressed sorrow over the death of another 70-year-old Lozi treason accused, Mwiya Sihope, who died in Lewanika General Hospital from a medical problem that started whilst he was in detention in Lusaka.

The fourth former Barotse detainee to die following release from detention in Mumbwa Prison, Pelekelo Likezo of Malelekwa area in Mongu, was buried in Mongu on Thursday morning.

Maxwell Mututwa also moaned 16-year-old Barotse riot accused Kabayo Kabayo who died in detention in Mumbwa Prison and he asked the government to release all those arrested and convicted over the Barotseland Agreement if dialogue had to take place.

In several interviews with The Post, Mututwa had asked President Banda’s government to ensure that dialogue over the Barotseland Agreement issue takes place before the country goes to general elections.

He also said there was need to include the Barotse activists in the dialogue process.

Labels: BAROTSE FREEDOM MOVEMENT, WESTERN PROVINCE

posted by MrK @ 3:28 PM