SWAMPY TALES

In the wee hours of a Thursday morning,  Kabwibwi  (no real name) and a group of anxious women wait for the helpless  Sensele  (no real name), a blameless boy who has been sick for months. Sensele’s condition has worsened after they inflict his skinny body with a round of tattoos with which a concoction of tree roots’ and leaves’ powder was administered to cure the ‘thing that crisscrossed his abdomen.’ A reasonable quantity of his remaining little blood from his anemic malady oozed out during the curing process making him weaker, earlier in the day. Shore in Bwalya Mponda- Lunga The entire village is on its tentacles waiting to hear the bad news about Sensele. He has been in this critical condition for days. Today, everyone who is adult enough to know the difference between life and death knows that Sensele’s days on earth are over. His uncle’s hut is burned accidentally at a fishing camp, a sure signal for a pending misfortune.   They are now waiting for his last breath. The wi

Sometime in October 2021, we woke up to the news that a combined team of village scouts and Zambia Wildlife Authority officers got into bitter combat with the villagers of Muwele, in which about 24 people got injured. The informer said ZAWA officers used live ammunition in the nasty exchange that erupted over the villagers’ protest against officers’ arresting one of them, who they allegedly found with game meat. Mpika Radio and other media later confirmed the sad news. Bangweulu Black Lechwe- Source of conflicts Such conflicts are common in Muwele, Lavushi Manda, part of the Bangweulu Swamps Game Management area. Lavushi Manda GMA is home to large herds of black Lechwe and other species. From time immemorial, people here have lived with and hunted animals for food. Since the introduction of Protected Area status, sporadic conflicts between the indigenous people and conservationists have become familiar occurrences in this highly volatile community.  This incident reminded me of a

   INSHITA 1 KU MATUNDACA “Muleteni tumulimune, acilamo. Ni mpulamafunde uyu! Mwikateni, mwileka abutuke! Uyoo! Mukunkunikeni! Iyee, kaatipo na ulubilo kankulungwe! Niko keene, eko basangile mwa Mwinga wa mfumu. Bushe kacilacitanshi mwabeene na muka-mfumu? Kabula na umucinshi na umwenso ka Mwambwenenekwi!” Layoti asantamuka. Apibile nga ubutonge mu meenshi. Alepemeseka nga akabwa kalekunkunika akalulu. Amona umushitibeti wakwe uwa maluba-maluba uko ulongene panshi ku mbali ya busanshi. Umusao nao uponene mupepi na akalimba ka Championi, akaafwa, lwa kukuso nga filya. Ubulangeti bwakusendamapo nabo nabwansuluka, nabutentemukila panshi lubali, asendemekofye pali citika lwa kumpela. Mu ng’anda mwena muli icibuutubuutu kwati muli inyali ku mulandu na umweshi. Alolesha uko akobeka ifyakufwala, amona fyonse filifye umo fyaabela. Filya aafwele mailo fyena fili akamwina lwa ku mitwe. Cilya apukunya umutwe, abyola, aumfwa iceena ca Kancina. Aibukisha ukuti eyo alekeleshe ukunwa. Elyo amaano y

There are a million reasons why marriages fail. In addition, failed matrimonial unions have partners accusing each other of causing the break-up. Usually, consideration of the fate of children does not bother lovers-turned-enemies at all. Ultimately, innocent children pay the heavy price. Do you appreciate the value of growing up in a loving family? How much gratitude do your parents deserve if they endured so much to give you protection and a chance to grow up into a responsible person?  Lunga kid gazing at a doubtful distant future- Pic by LDA To understand why you must count your blessings if you had that tender loving care from both parents, think of those whose parents deprived them of that chance.  Every normal and responsible person knows that children brought up in broken homes face serious challenges. Usually, they do not only miss that vital affectionate care but also many opportunities because of the lack of necessities of life. But what does it mean to be brought up in a

Our politicians should not avoid answering questions from their constituents about the kind of development we expect them to deliver.  We have observed this from the way they are avoiding availing themselves for public debate to tell the people what they are planning to do when elected. They would rather talk to the old and vulnerable village woman whose major concerns are short-term and easy to solve; her day’s bread.  No. Lunga is not a family kitchen where you can plan the menu and recipe alone. It is for all of us. We are all stakeholders and as such, we deserve to know what our leaders are planning to do for us. No one person has the monopoly of wisdom.   We must remind them that more and more of their constituents are getting enlightened as they graduate from schools and colleges. That is the essence of sending people to school. We are angry because we are hungry for development.  We want to inform our Politicians in Lunga that they will never again continue to operate the sa

“This person we are burying here today was so kind, generous and selfless.” This is a common eulogy line at the edge of a loved one’s tomb. True they deserve it! but did you let them know when they were alive so they can appreciate your gratitude? I do not want to be guilty of the same transgression of exalting the dead to one friend, among many, that have made my life what it is today. Believe me, there are many people you meet in life who contribute massively to your personal development. But there are exceptional ones too! This is a special thank you to a childhood friend, without whom I could not be capable of writing my story for public consumption. Mon ami , Enock Kaputula.  Enock, Melania Kaputula, Kunda, and Charity Londa having fun at Delaine Kaputula's Wedding !  In January 1981, I met Enock at Mungwi Secondary School. A brilliant, athletic, jumpy young boy, dark in complexion, always carrying with him a smiley happy face. I arrived, fresh in my brand-new navy

Fish er men are shrewd human beings too. Find us at our vocation, you will not be wrong to describe us as outliers. We can tell you the finest details about fishing, the movement of fish, birds, and animals in our locality. We can teach you a million things about the dos and don’ts of living amid water. But two things; and two things only, always leave us muddled. We have failed to comprehend their occurrence. Death in any form and the crocodile attack. Death as discussed  here , usually distress us in a way that the route to recovery has always been disastrous. I will not dwell on it in this post but will look at another enemy around us, the croc. Look, we know its habitat is within our vicinity. We know that it reproduces and probably has its social fellowship by the banks we walk every day. We also know, somehow, that it’s dangerous to human life. But we equally do not know much about it. Picture Credit: Shutterstock.com How can that be? You ask. Come along. Listen t