Mr. Akabiwa Lewanika

Citation

“IN BAROTSELAND AND SERVED AS THE LAST SON OF KING LEWANIKA, THE FIRST ON THE THRONE OF BAROTSELAND IN THE SOUTH-WESTERN PART OF WHAT BECAME AN INTEGRAL PART OF AN INDEPENDENT ZAMBIA ON OCTOBER 23, 1964. IN 1929, THE LATE MBIKUSITA LEWANIKA WAS THE FOUNDER SECRETARY OF LIVINGSTONE AFRICAN WELFARE ASSOCIATION, WHICH WAS THE FIRST URBAN AFRICAN WELFARE ASSOCIATION, DURING THE LATE 1930s, HE WAS THE PRIVATE SECRETARY TO LITUNGA YETA III. WHEREBY, IN 1944, HE WAS THE FOUNDER PRESIDENT OF THE KITWE AFRICAN SOCIETY, WHICH SPEAR-HEADED THE AFRICAN PROTEST AGAINST THE PROPOSAL TO AMALGAMATE PROTECTORATE NORTHERN RHODESIA WITH EUROPEAN SETTLER COLONY OF SOUTHERN RHODESIA. IN 1946, HE INITIATED THE PROPOSAL AND MOVED THE MOTION TO ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FEDERATION OF AFRICAN WELFARE ASSOCIATIONS. IN 1948, HE WAS THE FOUNDER PRESIDENT GENERAL OF THE PIONEER POLITICAL ORGANIZATION – THE NORTHERN RHODESIA AFRICAN CONGRESS, OF WHICH SEVERAL HAD THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE AS POLITICAL PARTY BRANCH OFFICIALS. THE LATE MBIKUSITA LEWANIKA’S 1950 MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER NEHRU INITIATED PROGRAMMES FOR SENDING YOUNG FUTURE LEADERS FOR OVERSEAS HIGHER EDUCATION, FOUR OF WHOM WERE TO BE IN THE FIRST POST-COLONIAL CABINET OF MINISTERS, INCLUDING ONE OF ZAMBIA’S VICE PRESIDENTS, SIMON MWANSA KAPWEPWE, AND TWO OF ITS PRIME MINISTERS NALUMINO MUNDIA AND DANIEL LISULO. HE WAS INDUNA NATAMOYO, THE TRADITIONAL MINISTER AND COUNCILLOR FOR ROYAL FAMILY AFFAIRS, JUSTICE AND MERCY UNDER LITUNGA MWANAWINA III DURING THE LATE 1960s. WHEREBY, IN 1950, THE LATE MBIKUSITA LEWANIKA’S TOUR OF INDIA WAS AN OFFICIAL VISIT, AT THE END OF WHICH HE ADDRESSED THE INDIAN NATION ON ALL-INDIA RADIO AFTER HIS MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER NEHRU CONSUMMATED WHAT HAS BECOME THE INDO-ZAMBIA BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP WHICH CONTINUES TO GROW UP TO NOW. IN THE 1940s, THE LATE MBIKUSITA LEWANIKA WORKED FOR RHOKANA MINE ON THE COPPERBELT, WHERE HE WORKED AS A SENIOR AFRICAN CLERK, SENIOR WELFARE OFFICER, PERSONNEL, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER FOR TWENTY YEARS. HE WAS ALSO THE FOUNDER PRESIDENT OF NORTHERN RHODESIA MINES STAFF ASSOCIATION. WHEREBY, HE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN POLITICAL LEADER TO ADDRESS A MEETING ATTENDED BY MEMBERS OF BOTH THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE HOUSE OF LORDS AT WESTMINSTER, IN LONDON, WHERE HE SPOKE AGAINST THE PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH THE FEDERATION OF RHODESIA AND NYASALAND, AND PAVED THE PATH FOR AFRICAN POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BRITISH COLONIAL ESTABLISHMENT. AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH ON FEBRUARY 7, 1977, HE WAS SERVING AS LITUNGA LEWANIKA THE SECOND OF BAROTSELAND. HIS CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE TOWARDS THE MINING INDUSTRY ARE WORTHY OF SPECIAL COMMENDATION.”

Award Details

Summary

Know someone deserving?

Nominate a deserving Zambian citizen for national recognition.