Map of Barotseland

I have said there is no map of Barotseland because it was never created. Anything you see now is a result of people with an agenda. You have to find out the motive of such people in what they bring that out.

I have read alot about Barotseland, Bemba land and Ngoni land with other native governments as I love history - it explains alot about the present and the future. One person pointed me to a site that brought the map everyone has taken as the map of Barotseland and it merely says the influence of the Litunga in tha past extended that much! This was a stupid idea - why? It leads to the situation that we have now among people. Not everyone has a brain big enough to understand that that is not the situation but merely someone's thought. It is more dangerous when people involved have greedy and crooked ways on their mind. I'm sorry, but the Lozi people have always been like that. Ask the Nkoya.

All that may have been a simple expression of one's opinion has turned to be a basis on which all the Barotseland talk is based. So I ask again who has a map of Barotseland? I know for a fact there exist none. As of 1911, the Zambian map is as good as the one we use now. There is Barotse province in there of the now Western province and North-Western province was the then Western province. So I was thinking, could this be the misunderstanding that since North-Western province is Western on the map, that also was Barotseland? I seriously hope not. Then one sent me a map of the Barotseland in present day Zambia. I seriously think basing it on district boundaries may be a good start, but its not a complete good measure. All territories need to be ascertained and confirmed with the villagers in those areas. But it is roughly a good start, especially that it took out the Nkoya areas, though I might say the Lukulu district needs further understanding as all these areas have Lozi people and Luvale and Mbunda people living in them.

So is this the map of Barotseland in present day Zambia?

We now need to find a way to measure using local chiefs and headmen who the land in the borders belong to, and deal with the matter on that level. I think this has been highlighted by Mbita Chitala on the fact that will most of these tribes subscribe to being led by the Lozi?

Moreover, I think the best possible angle is to use materials available to most of us and have been used in creating useful information by many writers like here. Mbita Chitala clearly highlighted this greedy ambitions of the Lozi rulers. One should always look at the idea of what was used in saying Litunga's area was as far as Kambompo river! Which parties were at the signing ceremony. Do you think there would be a good measure of Zambia's borders with Malawi at a ceremony only attended by Zambia and no one from Malawi? That is exactly what was used in that arrangement. Who represented the Nkoya, Luvale, Mbunda,etc? That is the point of argument with this greedy stance. That is why the border kept moving from one end to another.

The description of Zambezi-Kambompo river as the beginning of his Land on the North has one complication in my analysis. Who agreed among the people living there that he had control over them? Do you think if the Nkoya chief was taken alone, he would have spared Leilui as an area he had no control over?

All in all, new information on this issue has made me think it is good for all of us to look at the agreement in its core. Especially with the changing of the borders both by the British South Africa Company (BSAC) to suit their needs on the issues of mineral concessions which they had to fight for in all areas but Lozi land, or, the changing of the same by Litunga to exercise control over land. I think we need alot more people involved in this area so we bring the truth to everyone so they judge for themselves.

Barotseland is not Northewestern Rhodesia

I think the map came from serious lack of distinction between Northwestern Rhodesia and a land called Barotseland or its the usual Lozi tricks at it.

One think is for sure, Northwestern Rhodesia had several places included like the Nkoya, Luvale, Lunda and Tonga areas. There is even a reference to that effect here. 

" ... the protectorate extended beyond the borders of Barotseland, including territories which were Lunda kingdoms. The border to Angola was fixed in a treaty with Portugal in 1891 and again, by King Victor Emmanuel of Italy, in 1905; the border to the Congo Free State also by treaty in 1891."

Note however the errors in Capital being Kalolo instead of Kalomo. And there is reference that the area become a British protectorate, yet only the Northern Rhodesia (when the eastern and western parts where joined), became a protectorate. 

So it is from reading this part that someone thought of drawing that map and gave it to the Litunga. And the Lozi people celebrated that a map of their area has been found. Again I will repeat what I said earlier - there is no map of Barotseland because it was not a country, nor a protectorate that was under any empire. All protectorates and colonies have flags and court of arms, etc for the recognition. The flag of Barotseland is as good as the flag of the Bemba. They are native government flags which had nothing to do with nations.

Barotseland Lies!

I would like to start this blog on the lies which have been spread so widely they look like truths. One thing we should put in mind as we proceed is the fact that, people involved in this issue clearly don't know what they are talking about. They mislead alot of people in their quest and these people have gone so wild in the lost path, they think they are in the right when they are completely wrong.

1. There is No Map of Barotseland

Contrary to what most people think, there is no map of Barotseland. Someone with "paint brush" and not even "photoshop" drew a red area over the Zambian map and claimed it was Barotseland. Be serious, there is a map of even Kalomo in the time of colonial rule, would there be no map of an area if they really were a separate "country"?

To make the issue simpler see the map of Africa as of 1910

 

As of 1950, this is the map the British Empire had. Notice that Barotseland is an area smaller than Western Province and there is no markings of its area. It was merely referred to like we say "Muchinga escapement".

Now look at this map drawn by some guy with his paintbrush over lunch time and you base treason activities on it!

See how useless this map is? Whoever created it? No person in his right mind should even refer to this map. It is work of a disturbed mind interested only in creating division and war! Lozi in North-Western province? Even Lundas and Luvales can't live peacefully all the time when they are brothers. What of this stranger?

That map is some play issue which even my son would draw and I would say, "interesting childish perspective". On point, when did the Lozi capture Tonga, Nkoya, Luvale or Lunda area. Do you remember the Luba-Lunda Kingdom in our history? That area was expanded by the movements of the Children by establishing Lunda settlements in North-Western province, Angola and Northern and Luapula province of Zambia. Even today, you will find these people settled there. They will even confirm where they originated from (with a small exception of the Tonga people). But none of these even know who Litunga is! Yet the Lozi people are claiming they controlled those people.

The Lozi people are using what they used then. Tools of lies, greedy, selfishness. There are the only people in the whole of Zambia who sold their land through mineral concessions with the British South African company (BSAC). Everyone else fought to maintain their land and either lost the war or was killed, but the Lozi celebrated to be occupied by the evading foreigners. Now they want to come and claim the land which Zambian government fought and took the mineral concession rights by force in 1964. They now want to use the same method and instead of selling their neighbours as slaves, they want to get the land. Watch out!

Thats why there is a history of Ngoni war, because people fought for what Lozi people gave free. Is there any Barotse war? They gave the land before the white settlers where even interested in their land to protect themselves from neighbouring tribes of Tonga, Bashona, Kaonde, etc

Need more maps of Northern Rhodesia check the empire website here. While there read about Northern Rhodesia and see that Barotse does not even come into the picture!

So what is Barotseland area?! The brief history of Northern Rhodesia does not even mention Litunga or the Barotse because they were unknown to the crown. Only the British South Africa Company knew them. Not even Litunga is mentioned. Why? The history is mostly created to suit the Lozi by the Lozi. Read for yourself here. By the way, all this information is on the British Empire source. Not lies or fabrications.

2. Barotseland Was Never a Protectorate of The British Empire

Again another lie spread so widely by the Lozi is that they were a protectorate. This was never the case. They had only dealings with a company which bought Barotseland minerals and in the that vein, land. The British empire has never taken Barotseland as a protectorate. A good reading of the BSAC company profile would clearly say they managed to get that from the Litunga. The other chiefs in the area fought them and resorted to either kill them or forcibly take the minerals.

Barotseland was never a protectorate, Northern Rhodesia was! Northern Rhodesia was formed in 1911 and it became a protectorate on 1 April 1924. That Northern Rhodesia is the same area that Zambia today is. There was only a change of name when it got its independence in 1964. From there you would know that Barotseland was not in the picture the same way that the great Ngoni land or Kazembe's land was never a separate area. Read your history before they lie to you too.

3. Northern Rhodesia's Area

Maybe a point to consider when you looking at the area of Zambia is the composition of the area now and then. To start with, Northern Rhodesia was made up of two areas: North-West Rhodesia (with its administrative capital in Kalomo) and North-East Rhodesia (with its administrative capital at Fort Jameson - now called Chipata).

The two areas merged in 1911 to form Northern Rhodesia with the capital in Livingstone until 1935 when it was moved to Lusaka. The provinces of Rhodesia were largely the same with only four notable ones (Barotse - an area slightly smaller than the current Western Province, Western Province - now called North-Western Province, Northern Province - now called Copperbelt province as part of the North-West Rhodesia). I would provide more information on the other provinces but mostly have remained unchanged. The main aim of this point is to stress a point that Barotseland did not, has not ever crossed the area some man marked as Barotseland on the Zambian map.

Notable about this area is that we were the only country to change names at Olympic games. We enetered as Northern Rhodesia and left as Zambia on 24th October, 1964. What is worth looking at this, is simple, There was a country called Northern Rhodesia. There was never a country called Barotseland. The problem with the agreement is that, Kaunda and his followers assumed the Lozi were up right and honest in their dealing fro demanding to have an agreement. The other chiefs where more than happy to look at the future and move as Zambia. The Lozi had other plans, which have come out in a few days. This is an issue which needs to be looked at it from a point which is clear and staright, this is Treason!

4. The Barotseland Agreement Does Not Mean Separation

The biggest lie ever told was the assumption that the agreement brought together two countries. Which two countries? The people who signed the agreement were the Northern Rhodesian prime minister and the chief if the Lozi. The agreement merely establishes their Lozi existence in Zambia. If you asked me then, I think we should have left them and taken the Nkoya and other people in Western province. Imagine how much progress we would have had without the problems of the Barotseland agreement!

One may ask the logic of signing an agreement which does not yield anything useful. Read the agreement, it does not look at separation. And someone correctly highlighted that the desire to be separate from Zambia is what led the British empire to make sure the two sign the agreement so that the people fighting to be alone, have no chance as the new government will commit to taking them along. One mistake as far as I'm concerned. But since that was done, we should remember that the issue temporarily died. The reason is in my next point.

The agreement was signed to assure the Litunga that people of Barotse would be treated in the same way as all Zambians. And mind you, people talk about the agreement being abrogated - what has been abrogated? Everything that is in the agreement has been handled that way. And more so like any other native government in Zambia. The Ngoni or Bemba native governments enjoy the same privileges that the Lozi native government enjoys. So what has been abrogated! What does restoring the agreement mean? We all have read it. What is special that is not included in that agreement? It think they need to explain that to us before they parade themselves on ignorance!

5. Barotseland "Control" Does Not Benefit the People

The BRE only benefits a few people in power. Thats why you have many Lozi people not interested in it. The people fighting for it are people connected to the Top of the tribe. The other most important issue is the fact that the whole issue is tribal! Someone says have you ever known the Lozi to be any other way?

But thats the point I was trying to make! The rest of Zambia has lived nicely together. But how many people live in Western province who are not from there or working there? Even when you marry from that side, they will not regard you as a tribe. Funerals, weddings, will all be one tribe, lucky if they even speak English in any of those programs. Thats why the Nkoya will be the first to some and say no to any plan the Lozi want to embark on! The Nkoya have lived under harsh times being neighbours to Lozi. The violence that rocked the province under just last year was against other tribes. Noone brought out the issue of it being tribal because we all pretend to forget what the Lozi can do when they meet each other. In this time, you chase people that they came from Angola! What a mess.

6. Lack of Development is Because of BRE

Lack of development in the province has always been a cause of the BRE. You can only go to invest in that region if you are from there, or want to ignore reality. Look at shoprite. They were only allowed to setup in the "bush" of town! Why? They are not Lozi! Even radio stations can't play any other songs apart from Lozi songs - modern times? Well, some areas are still primitive if you ask me.

So the problem is not lack of investment, its lack of progressiveness and a failure to modernize and move forward. No one will think they can develop by separating your tribe from others. Ask the Chinese. In fact, that is why most wealth Lozi people never settle in that area. They are in Lusaka, Copperbelt, Northern Province and so on. If you asked these to move to Western province so they can create their own Lozi nation, not even 2% of the powerful Lozi people will be part of that. Mark my words. I have lived with the educated ones, wealth ones and their interest in life is to make progress and make their money, not form a Barotse nation of selfish considerations.

7. Self Determination Has a Meaning

I have heard people say self-determination is a right. For sure it is. But mind you, the government has the right to protect all its citizens. So if Lozi people want to secede from Zambia, they should go alone. They should not force Nkoyas (or any other tribe for that matter) to join them. Even among the Lozi, those that don't want to be part of their nation, they should be given a choice. Overall, that should be decided by all Zambians. So the Nkoya areas of Kaoma and the 'not Barotse' parts of Lukulu should not be part of that. We know the history very well. We know there is the Mwene Mutondo - Nkoyas. They never sold their land to settlers or agreed to give away their 'minerals' like the Lozi did. The Nkoyas prized their land and hanve had it since then. Why should one tribe try to force them to join them in a separation? From the 7 (seven) districts of Western province, we know that Kaoma and Lukulu are not and will not be part of their Barotse talk. So we need to re-look at the map and see what happens to what will 'separate' from Zambia.


But before we even talk about that issue, who says they can secede? What gives them that right to wake and say we want to secede? Do you think if Sata woke up and said all Zambia Police, Army, Judiciary, Civil Service should move out of Lozi areas and we will mark the boarder on the basis of districts, and similarly all Lozis in the other parts should find their way to Mongu, can they live as a nation? Wont he be taken for crimes against humanity for leaving people to die.


So the Lozi self rule, they should leave out all the other tribes who don't want to be part of their "nation". And when they break away, the Zambian people must decide how we relate to them as they will be foreigners. There is nothing like we will have dual citizenship! We will decide as a people and they have to live with our decision.