Namakau Mbikusita-Lewanika honoured
ZAMBIA last week celebrated its 42nd Independence
anniversary.
August 2010
During the commemoration, some freedom fighters who played
a pivotal role in the liberation struggle were honoured
for their contributions.
Our Staffer CHRISTINE CHISHA talked to one such freedom
fighters - Namakau Mbikusita-Lewanika. She was honoured
for her role in uplifting women’s affairs before
and after Independence.
AFTER Independence in 1964, the responsibility of running
Zambia’s affairs placed in the hands of citizens
as the balance of power shifted from the white minority
to the black majority.
However, the departure of qualified whites left a huge
gap in the country’s human resource base depleted
by proficient whites who could not stand working under
black leadership.
As the Zambians basked in the joy of newfound freedom,
little did they realise that a lack of human resource
had emerged in many sectors of the economy due to the
mass exodus of white skilled manpower.
This was because the whites had decided to withdraw their
labour due to political reasons.
Zambia did, however, have some educated men and women
who could ably fill part of the void left by the whites.
Among the few educated women was Namaya Namakau Mbikusita-Lewanika
who was last Tuesday honoured with the Order of Insignia
of recognition for the role she played in uplifting women’s
affairs during the Freedom struggle and after Independence.
Born on November 11, 1921, Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika went
to school up at Lukona Mission School and did her middle
primary school at Mabumbu Girls School.
In 1937 at the age of 16, Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika was among
the top best four students who were awarded bursaries
by the white government to further their education at
Chipembi Girls School. The school was then the highest
institution of learning for African girls between Zambezi
River and Lake Tanganyika.
She said that they had to travel by a riverboat, over
land, on trucks and by train to reach Chisamba.
At Chipembi, as part of her extra curricula activities,
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika got herself involved in Sunday
school teaching among the Lenje people of Chief Chamuka.
On completion of her studies at Chipembi in 1940, she
proceeded to sit for the South Africa standard V1 examination
and an elementary Teachers Examination.
In 1942 she enrolled in yearly teachers refresher courses,
at Mindolo Mission in Kitwe from where she graduated with
the first Teachers efficiency qualification.
This set her off onto a path of more studies as she did
even more courses.
In 1962, while pregnant with her 10th child, she undertook
a comprehensive course in household management in London,
England.
There, she studied subjects like maternal and childcare,
first aid, cooking, house craft, home nursing, public
speaking and hostess etiquette.
The course at the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA)
Central Club Centre, was organised in conjunction with
the Red Cross.
Her performance was exceptional as stated in an official
testimonial, dated June 14, 1962, by a Mrs H .Spence,
the Director of the YWCA Central Club of London:
“She proved to be an outstanding student, and one
of the most able and well-informed African women who attended
these courses.
She obtained high marks for all examinations, was very
co-operative, and popular with tutors and fellow students
alike. Anything that Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika does in her
future public life I feel confident she will do well,”
the record reads in past.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said at a time she was going to
London, she had already joined politics.
She said she was the first woman to join the Africa National
Congress (ANC) party which was key in initiating Zambia’s
liberation struggle.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said that having been a wife of
a politician, her interest in politics was inevitable
as she often accompanied her husband, Mr Lewanika (who
was to later be King of the Lozi people).
Mr Lewanika was one of the founders of the trade union
movement in Zambia and political activity in Zambezi.
“Whenever he was going for meetings, my husband
would ask me to accompany him though I used to be uncomfortable
to be the only woman among men discussing politics,”
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said.
She said in the early 1950s she became the first black
woman to register as a voter.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said it was not easy to combine
politics, work and looking after 13 children.
She said whenever she went to meetings or to work, she
had to find someone to look after her children.
“I made sure my children were well fed and got the
best education. My family goals were for my children to
be academic educationists, and civic responsibility in
public service,” Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said.
Among her children are co-founder of the MMD, Mr Akashambatwa
Mbikusita-Lewanika, Zambia’s Ambassdor to the United
States of America, Dr Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika and permanent
secretary Wamundila Mbikusita Lewanika.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said during the struggle for independence,
their were few educated women so she involved herself
in teaching women how to read and write, personal cleanliness
and hygiene and home craft.
She said it was not easy to teach women because of the
language barrier especially when the family moved to Kitwe
on the Copperbelt.
“I went to the copperbelt with a mind that anyone
I would meet would know how to speak Lozi (her language)
and I was forced to learn Bemba so that I could communicate
with my colleagues well,” Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika
said.
She said this was a big challenge because women activist
then had to walk long distances and carried out their
task voluntarily, without allowances.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said that she combined civic work
and teaching.
She said she first taught at mine welfare women’s
clubs from 1941 to 1942.
Mrs Lewanika said when Wusakile Primary School was established
in 1942 , she was a pioneer teacher responsible for primary
education.
She said she was one of the founding teachers, together
with her cousin, Mr Harry Mwaanga-Nkumbula, who was the
headmaster. They were later joined by Mr Simon Mwansa
Kapwepwe who was the teacher in charge of adult education.
Mr Nkumbula was to later lead the ANC while Mr Kapwepwe
too became a fiery politician alongside Dr Kenneth Kaunda.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said she went for further studies
in London and upon her return, she was transferred to
Nkana Upper Primary School to teach domestic science,
in addition to academic subjects.
She said in her teaching service, she taught many pupils
who were to later serve Zambia in various positions of
responsibility.
Among these are former senior civil servant Dr Sketchely
Diamond Sachika, the late politician Basil Kabwe, former
Army Commander Lieutenant General Nobby Simbeye, former
MP Dennis Katilungu and for footballing greats Fred Mwila
and Henry Kalimukwa.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said during her teaching stint
Kitwe, she continued involving herself in social and community
development work.
She said her activities in social work she helped Graham
Harrison in establishing, leading and teaching girl guides.
She also taught needlework to wives of African miners.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said for her service she was awarded
a Girl Guide long-service medal.
In her other social, civic and community involvements,
she was founder member of the Mines Welfare women’s
club, which after independence, became one of the three
founding member churches of the United Church of Zambia.
In 1955, she translated the booklet: “Women’s
Work in the Home” from English to Lozi.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said in 1957 she was founder member
of the YWCA in Kitwe, after doing a course with the association
in London.
She also introduced the YWCA in Mongu in 1962 when her
husband reigned as Paramount King of the Lozi People.
She said she has remained active even in her advancing
years.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said in 1985, at the age of 85,
she initiated the founding of the Chembele-Kalibe Association
(CHEKA) an organisation based in Mongu which provides
a forum for elderly women and young women to share ideas,
skills and experiences.
She said the CHEKA also provides mutual counseling services
between senior citizens and young persons, and trains
members in traditional arts, craft making and trading.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said at the age of 79 she started
taking lessons in computer and internet operations.
She said as an 85 year old, she was now involved in traditional
art crafts, such as bead work, grass works and mat-making,
sewing, embroidery and knitting.
She is also involved in women’s clubs and church
work.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said she lives in a community that
finds her as a treasured resource person for traditional
oral history and teaching all age groups from pre-school
to adults.
She thanked president Mwanawasa for honouring her.
“At last my work has been recognised and I thank
God for all the gifts he gave me in life to help members
of the public,” Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said.
She urged women movements to continue spearheading the
education of women especially in the rural areas.
She said before independence, villagers had good feeding
programmes for children and most homecare-based teachers
used to come from villagers because they worked with missionaries.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika said with the help of donor money,
rural women can be educated as long as women movements
united.
She said she wanted to be remembered as woman who had
a heart to help and develop the less privileged in society.
Mrs Mbikusita-Lewanika also urged young women to listen
to their parents and learn from them.
She said that even in modernity, some old things were
still useful and should be passed on to the young ones.
For more information about H.E. Dr. Inonge Mbikusita
Lewanika ’s family photos please refer to http://inongelewanika.com/family.htm
