ONE ZAMBIA, ONE NATION
NEWS casters on our public service broadcaster are now under instruction to recite the “ One Zambia, One Nation ” slogan before each news bulletin. Those familiar with the history of Zambia will recall that the slogan was introduced in 1969 by President Kenneth Kaunda when he decided to set aside the Barotseland Agreement of 1964 which gave Barotseland some constitutional status that accorded the Litunga some unique powers and privileges during the establishment of a unitary status at independence in 1964. The government asserted that in its quest for national unity it would not tolerate “a state within a state” and thus terminated the agreement. The termination of the Barotseland Agreement was meant to bring about national coherence by applying uniform local government legislation and policies throughout Zambia. Unfortunately this decision resulted in the long-running dispute between the government and the Barotseland Royal Establishment, a dispute which has the p...