THE Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) has described the dragging of the Litunga in party politics by the MMD as derogatory and demanded that the MMD leadership apologises and disciplines the people that held the caucus last weekend.

According to an advert placed in today's Post, which was issued by the acting Ngambela of Barotseland (Western Province) Litia Walubita, the BRE expressed its displeasure on the matter.

“The Barotse Royal Establishment was deeply dismayed to read in The Post newspapers of 18th November, 2009 that the caucus of the MMD alleged that His Majesty the Litunga of Barotseland colluded with his subject, Simasiku Namakando, to bring about the assumed unpopularity of the ruling party in the province. The BRE and the people of Barotseland take great exception to that statement, in general, and to dragging His Majesty the Litunga into what is essentially party politics that is well below his royal stature,” acting Ngambela Walubita stated.

“For all that are still uninformed about the processes and procedures of the centuries-old etiquettes and royal protocols of the Barotse people, it is taboo to drag the Litunga into disrepute in this manner for His Majesty neither makes public statements nor entangles himself in issues of politics in the manner that the perpetrators of this smear campaign intended to portray to their audience. The derogatory insinuations are highly distasteful and are clearly intended to show disrespect to the revered Office of His Majesty the Litunga.

“It is particularly disheartening that the alleged facilitator of that meeting, Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika, not only hails from Barotseland but is also believed to be a member of the Barotse royal family that is the custodian of the very traditions and morals that have protected and maintained the integrity of the Barotse governance system for centuries. At no time has His Majesty the Litunga or the acting Ngambela (who is the traditional mouthpiece of His Majesty) stated or caused to state a position that could have justified the disrespectful utterances that are said to come from the MMD caucus meeting.”

Acting Ngambela Walubita further stated that in light of the above, the BRE demanded an unreserved written apology by those that are alleged to have perpetrated the position that has shown great disrespect to the Litunga.

“From the statement in the public media attributed to the MMD national secretary, regret was expressed regarding this development and that the caucus meeting in question was not sanctioned by the MMD,” acting Ngambela Walubita stated. “If, indeed, this is the case, then the minimum expectation of the people of Barotseland from the MMD leadership is to discipline those that have illegitimately used its name and structures to bring disrepute to the highly respected Litunga and the BRE.”

During a recently held caucus at Lusaka’s Andrews Motel, the ruling MMD blamed the recent fall-out with the Western Province on Namakando whom they accused of working with the Litunga.
“The meeting through Aka acknowledged the problems the party is having in Western Province. But he blamed this on Mr Namakando whom he accused of working with the royal family over their frustrations on the Republican vice-presidency, which has not been given to Western Province,” said the source.