The three Barotseland independence leaders jailed ten years with hard labour have been moved from Kabwe’s Mukobeko maximum security prison to Mwembeshi prison, according to the Barotseland Post.
The transfer may be due to the reported deplorable conditions and congestion levels at Zambia’s most notorious prison for the condemned.
And two other Barotseland independence leaders from the Linyungandambo movement, Muleta Kalaluka and Nasilele Nyambe, have been arrested. Although details of their arrest are yet to be known, the two were arrested in Kalabo last night by the Zambia police in connection with Barotseland’s push for self-determination.
Muleta and Nasilele become the latest Barotse activists to be arrested within this month, others being Nyambe and Erich Akakandelwa Lubasi who were yet to stand trial.
Meanwhile, confirmed reports are that Afumba Mombotwa, Sylvester Inambao Kalima and Likando Pelekelo have arrived at Mwembeshi state prison.
The duo’s arrest brings a total of those either in jail or facing prosecution to a current total of eleven, although figures are expected to rise in the wake of reported plans by the Zambia police to carry out massive arrests of all Lozis suspected to be spearheading the self-determination of Barotseland especially from the Linyungandambo and the Barotseland transitional government (BTG).
Currently in jail or facing prosecution are: Barotseland Administrator General Afumba Mombotwa, Sylvester Inambao Kalima and Likando Pelekelo (Barotseland transitional government and Linyingandambo leaders) who are now jailed for ten years with hard labour, five Barotse Imilema youths in ‘The People (State) versus Sinonge and others’ trial for carrying the UNPO flag, a symbol of Barotseland’s membership to the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), while Nyambe was arrested in connection with a flyer purported to have been written by the fictitious Barotseland Liberation Army ‘threatening’ the Zambian presidency.
Erich Akakandelwa Lubasi was also arrested earlier in the month after his phone was allegedly found to contain Barotseland literature such as the century old Barotse national anthem and caricature of the Barotse currency among other unspecified documents reported to be ‘threatening’ to the Zambian presidency. Muleta Kalaluka and Nasilele Nyambe (both Linyungandambo and BTG) complete the list so far.
The frequent arrests seem to be validating reports of the Zambia police plan to round up all suspected Barotseland independence advocates in a desperate effort by the Zambian state to quell all calls for Barotseland self-determination.
Source: Barotseland Post