One Zambia One NationLONDON / ENGLAND, Apr. 29 - I am responding to the article (One Zambia One Nation)in the Zambezi Times dated 24 April 2003.
Dear Sir/Madam (Author), I do understand your point of view in your article that there is a new form of colonization being perpetuated by abaBemba in the country. However, to compare the situation then with now, I think would be so unfair in that, unlike then when Europeans came to Africa (Zambia), they came with a sole purpose of getting wealth for their countries. They brought into the country a new lifestyle which was so materialistic and to get the wealth they needed, they had to employ the natives.
To be employed however, natives who had been so exposed to the new lifestyle sought the materialistic lifestyle that the European had come with and which he would pay for when ever his purpose would be speeded up. In such circumstances, for the native to be employed by the European, he had to first learn some broken English not by choice but because he wanted to get employed and fit in the newlifestyle that the European had brought into the country (Zambia). Comparing what happened then to the current situation is therefore so unfair. Sir, people today are not given jobs because of the langauge they speak or the tribe they come from but because they are Zambian.
Without prejudice, I am Bemba very proud indeed but, I have learnt the romantic Tonga langauge which I happily use whenever I find a Tonga person though funny enough, whenever I speak the beautiful iciTonga to a Tonga who speaks icibemba, they automatically switch to icibemba when they well konw that I also know icitonga and it has never crossed my mind that that is bad. I have learnt to speak the beautiful Silozi not to mention the Nyanja which I use whenever I am with my older brother thereby surprising listeners who find it strange that I speak ciNyanja to my own brother instead of icibemba.
The issue therefore sir, that icibemba is spreading through out the country, is not one that has been mandated on anyone but is a matter of choice that one makes and if they decide to speak icibemba in the Western, Southern, N/Western and other provinces of the country, it is not colonization by umubemba it is simply because they probably find icibemba so easy to learn and articulate themselves in.
So napapata (please) there is no superior tribe/language in the country we are all one Zambian and all one nation if people want to learn a second language please let them do so it is their choice no one learns it by imposition. I love Zambia so much and it makes me feel so sad when I hear people expressing such disuniting sentiments as those. Please let us live together as brothers and sisters of the same family which is Zambia which we are no matter what tribe.
Zambia shall be free from any tribal divisions because we all love each other. Let us work towards a way of developing our beloved country not destroying it. It is a beautiful place we have and you do not know what awaits it with the kind of transparency and scrutiny of institutions of government, I personally am very hopeful that when you and I work for the betterment of Zambia, one day only one day, we shall see Zambia emerging as the number one country in Africa which I am already seeing. All we need to do is unite it is the only recipe.
thank you.
M.B
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