Maravi

I've never supported secession - Litunga

I've never supported secession - Litunga
By Roy Habaalu
Fri 23 Nov. 2012, 17:10 CAT

THE Litunga has told Catholic priests and other church leaders in Mongu that he has never supported calls for secession of Western Province.

The Litunga, who is Catholic, met the priests and other church leaders at his palace on Wednesday from 15:00 hours till late in the night to talk about current issues relating to the province.

Sources close to the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) who attended the meeting said the Litunga disapproved of immediate past Ngambela (chief counsellor) Clement Wainyae Sinyinda's advocating secession.

Sinyinda, a former deputy minister in the MMD administration, resigned as Ngambela recently following deep-rooted disagreements with Litunga Lubosi Imwiko.

According to sources, the Litunga had wanted to dialogue with the government but Sinyinda refused accusing him (Litunga) of being compromised.

"The Litunga spoke freely and was very open to us and spoke more as a parent and not as king. There were no restrictive protocols and there is hope at the end.

It was a fruitful meeting. He acknowledged that a lot of things were happening and that was the reason he wanted us to hear directly from his mouth. The Litunga said; 'It's the trust and respect I have for the Church that's why I invited you here, hear it from me I have never supported calls advocating for secession'. He was very clear and said at no time had he sanctioned calls for Western Province to gain independence from the Republic of Zambia.

He said he has always believed in addressing the unemployment and poverty levels in the province. He explained that historically, the BRE had worked with all successive governments and saw nothing wrong with addressing concerns with over the Barotseland Agreement with President Michael Sata," said the sources.

"After disagreeing to dialogue with the government, Sinyinda teamed up with some indunas and began a tour of the country telling people that the Litunga had let down his people.

He was moving around with Induna Mukulwakashiko (Batuke Imenda) soliciting for signatures from Lozis that they had lost confidence in the Litunga and that Barotseland was ready to govern itself. The Litunga says he was not consulted over the holding of the Barotse National Council (BNC) but when he learnt about it, he called it illegal and refused to approval its resolutions to secede from Zambia," said another source.

Sources said listening to the Litunga, it was shocking why Sinyinda mobilised people calling for secession because that was never the position of the BRE.

Sources said after the Litunga made attempts to dialogue with the government to address complaints raised by groups of activists, Sinyinda opposed and changed his sim card cutting communication between the two.

"It was learnt that some activists were collecting money from international organisations and Lozis in the Diaspora," the sources said.

According to the sources, the Litunga invited the Church so that they could know that the BRE and himself were not against Sinyinda but his illegal activities in the name of the establishment.

And efforts to get a comment from Sinyinda proved futile and could not be reached on his mobile.

Labels: BAROTSE ROYAL ESTABLISMENT, CATHOLIC CHURCH, LITUNGA, SECESSION

posted by MrK @ 7:14 PM