LUSAKA - Political historian Professor Bizeck Phiri says Zambia can no longer afford to postpone resolving the Barotseland Agreement, warning that decades of unfulfilled political promises have prolonged one of the country's oldest national questions.
Professor Phiri said successive administrations since independence have inherited the Barotseland issue, with political parties repeatedly promising to address it during election campaigns but failing to take concrete action once in office.
He told Phoenix News that the continued failure to resolve the matter has allowed it to persist for more than six decades, at times contributing to tensions between Western Province and the central government.
Professor Phiri has urged political leaders to confront the issue directly and work towards a lasting settlement, warning that making promises without implementing them only keeps the dispute alive.
Meanwhile, veteran politician Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika said the 1964 Barotseland Agreement has remained unresolved because the settlement reached before Zambia's independence was later revoked.
Mr. Mbikusita-Lewanika told Phoenix News that the issue does not resurface only during election periods, but has remained unresolved since the agreement was abrogated.
The renewed debate follows remarks by Tonse Alliance presidential candidate Brian Mundubile during his visit to Mongu, where he pledged that, if elected, his administration would engage the Barotse Royal Establishment through a mutually agreed framework to resolve the Barotseland Agreement with dignity and fairness.
Source: Phoenix News | By: Justina Matandiko