Zanco Mpundu Mutembo: Difference between revisions
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| birth_place = [[Northern Province]] | | birth_place = [[Northern Province]] | ||
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'''Zanco Mpundu Mutembo''' (born 1936) is a Zambian [[:Category:Freedom fighters|freedom fighter]]. He is the man on the Zambian [[Freedom Statue]] who broke the chains during the struggle for the country's fight for independence. | '''Zanco Mpundu Mutembo''' (born 1936) is a Zambian [[:Category:Freedom fighters|freedom fighter]] who served as National Youth Chairperson. He is the man on the Zambian [[Freedom Statue]] who broke the chains during the struggle for the country's fight for independence. | ||
== | ==Early life== | ||
Mutembo | Mutembo and his twin brother, Arnold, got involved in the political struggle against the colonialists in [[Northern Province]] at the age of 18 in 1954. They dropped out of school after their father’s death and joined the political struggle led by [[Kapasa Makasa]] and [[Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe]]. | ||
==Political life== | |||
In 1957, having already made his impact in Northern Province, suffering imprisonment and beatings in the process, Zanco, along with seven others were sent to Kenya where Dedan Kimathi was leading a rebellion against the colonial rulers. Their mission was to learn how to carry out their own rebellion back home. When he returned, Mutembo worked closely with [[Kenneth Kaunda|Kaunda]] and Kapwepwe, following them on their campaign trail.<ref name=maravi/> | |||
Before Kaunda and others would speak, Zanco would go on stage first to tell the crowds how bad the colonial government was hence the importance to fight for independence. | |||
On October 24, 1958 in [[Chilenje]], the young freedom fighter got his pet name “Zanco”; and it was also here that the unborn nation was christened.<ref name=maravi/> | |||
Early 1960s, Kaunda wrote a letter to the governor, Sir Arthur Benson, to protest against a clause in the constitution that gave Europeans an upper hand in the legislature. Mutembo took up the task to deliver the letter to Government House (now [[State House]]). | |||
“I have a message from president Kaunda,” he announced when he met the governor. On his way out, however, he was arrested and tortured. At about 15:00 hours that day, he was taken to Kaunda's office in Chilenje where he was celebrated as a hero. | |||
==Arrests and charges== | |||
Dauntless, about 03:00 hours the following day, Zanco was taken to Cairo Road where he climbed a tree with a megaphone to denounce the new constitution. At 06:00 hours, he started proclaiming his message, but was soon surrounded by police who threatened to shoot him if he did not get down. He was arrested. | |||
Today, that tree still stands opposite the Main Post Office and later came to be known as Zanco Tree.<ref name=maravi/> | |||
Zanco appeared in court after having been involved in a political brawl in [[Matero]]. He had been badly beaten in the fight and lost two of his front teeth, a mark he still bears. When the judge asked him to demonstrate to the court how he had been beaten, the young freedom fighter walked across the courtroom from the witness box and, reaching where one of the prosecutors - a white man - was standing, and punched him in the face, giving him a bloody nose. His action was a blatant show of rebellion in the face of the colonial government. At the end of the trial, Zanco was sentenced to 10 years in prison plus four lashes for punching the prosecutor. He was sent to Livingstone State Prison where he was held in chains. While in prison, Zanco was forced to witness executions of three black men accused of murdering a white man. | |||
Kaunda visited Zanco and negotiated his transfer to another cell. He was transferred to [[Mukobeko Maximum Prison]] in [[Kabwe]]. | |||
==Breaking the chains== | ==Breaking the chains== | ||
[[ | On December 31, 1963 - with independence now imminent - Sir [[Evelyn Hone]] asked Kaunda for a symbol the new nation would be known by. Would it be the Victoria Falls or perhaps the Muchinga Escapement, or any other natural resource. Kaunda, however, had other ideas. | ||
Kaunda called Zanco and told him that he had been chosen to die for the nation and that he should be strong. Later that day, Zanco drove with Sir Evelyn in his official vehicle with a mounted police escort down King George Avenue (now [[Independence Avenue]]) to [[Police Force Headquarters]]. | |||
At Force Headquarters, after being interviewed, he was taken to a room where 18 military officers stood with guns at ready. He was then handcuffed to a chain and ordered to break free or get shot. Shockingly, he pulled so hard and broke the chains in full view of soldiers and photographers who took photos of what seemed like magical power. The governor, Sir Evelyn Hone, raised his hands and announced, "You are now the symbol of the nation." | |||
==Legacy== | ==Legacy== | ||
Mutembo is now a national symbol as his statue has been displayed as a freedom statue along Independence Avenue in Lusaka where the laying of wreaths takes place every Independence Day in memory of the fore-fathers who died during the struggle. | Mutembo is now a national symbol as his statue has been displayed as a freedom statue along Independence Avenue in Lusaka where the laying of wreaths takes place every Independence Day in memory of the fore-fathers who died during the struggle. | ||
==References== | |||
*ZANIS | |||
<references/> | |||
[[Category:Freedom fighters]] | [[Category:Freedom fighters]] | ||
[[Category:National monuments]] | [[Category:National monuments]] | ||
[[Category:History of Zambia]] | [[Category:History of Zambia]] | ||
Revision as of 04:14, 27 June 2016
Zanco Mpundu Mutembo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Mpundu Mutembo 1936 |
| Occupation | Freedom fighter |
| Known for | Freedom Statue |
Zanco Mpundu Mutembo (born 1936) is a Zambian freedom fighter who served as National Youth Chairperson. He is the man on the Zambian Freedom Statue who broke the chains during the struggle for the country's fight for independence.
Early life
Mutembo and his twin brother, Arnold, got involved in the political struggle against the colonialists in Northern Province at the age of 18 in 1954. They dropped out of school after their father’s death and joined the political struggle led by Kapasa Makasa and Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe.
Political life
In 1957, having already made his impact in Northern Province, suffering imprisonment and beatings in the process, Zanco, along with seven others were sent to Kenya where Dedan Kimathi was leading a rebellion against the colonial rulers. Their mission was to learn how to carry out their own rebellion back home. When he returned, Mutembo worked closely with Kaunda and Kapwepwe, following them on their campaign trail.[1]
Before Kaunda and others would speak, Zanco would go on stage first to tell the crowds how bad the colonial government was hence the importance to fight for independence.
On October 24, 1958 in Chilenje, the young freedom fighter got his pet name “Zanco”; and it was also here that the unborn nation was christened.[1]
Early 1960s, Kaunda wrote a letter to the governor, Sir Arthur Benson, to protest against a clause in the constitution that gave Europeans an upper hand in the legislature. Mutembo took up the task to deliver the letter to Government House (now State House).
“I have a message from president Kaunda,” he announced when he met the governor. On his way out, however, he was arrested and tortured. At about 15:00 hours that day, he was taken to Kaunda's office in Chilenje where he was celebrated as a hero.
Arrests and charges
Dauntless, about 03:00 hours the following day, Zanco was taken to Cairo Road where he climbed a tree with a megaphone to denounce the new constitution. At 06:00 hours, he started proclaiming his message, but was soon surrounded by police who threatened to shoot him if he did not get down. He was arrested.
Today, that tree still stands opposite the Main Post Office and later came to be known as Zanco Tree.[1]
Zanco appeared in court after having been involved in a political brawl in Matero. He had been badly beaten in the fight and lost two of his front teeth, a mark he still bears. When the judge asked him to demonstrate to the court how he had been beaten, the young freedom fighter walked across the courtroom from the witness box and, reaching where one of the prosecutors - a white man - was standing, and punched him in the face, giving him a bloody nose. His action was a blatant show of rebellion in the face of the colonial government. At the end of the trial, Zanco was sentenced to 10 years in prison plus four lashes for punching the prosecutor. He was sent to Livingstone State Prison where he was held in chains. While in prison, Zanco was forced to witness executions of three black men accused of murdering a white man.
Kaunda visited Zanco and negotiated his transfer to another cell. He was transferred to Mukobeko Maximum Prison in Kabwe.
Breaking the chains
On December 31, 1963 - with independence now imminent - Sir Evelyn Hone asked Kaunda for a symbol the new nation would be known by. Would it be the Victoria Falls or perhaps the Muchinga Escapement, or any other natural resource. Kaunda, however, had other ideas.
Kaunda called Zanco and told him that he had been chosen to die for the nation and that he should be strong. Later that day, Zanco drove with Sir Evelyn in his official vehicle with a mounted police escort down King George Avenue (now Independence Avenue) to Police Force Headquarters.
At Force Headquarters, after being interviewed, he was taken to a room where 18 military officers stood with guns at ready. He was then handcuffed to a chain and ordered to break free or get shot. Shockingly, he pulled so hard and broke the chains in full view of soldiers and photographers who took photos of what seemed like magical power. The governor, Sir Evelyn Hone, raised his hands and announced, "You are now the symbol of the nation."
Legacy
Mutembo is now a national symbol as his statue has been displayed as a freedom statue along Independence Avenue in Lusaka where the laying of wreaths takes place every Independence Day in memory of the fore-fathers who died during the struggle.
References
- ZANIS
