Dear Editor, kindly publish this letter in your esteemed newspaper.
I cannot understand how the history and identity of Zambesia can be hidden to the rest of the world because of Botswana and Namibia’s hunger for additional land to their former protectorates. Zambesia was a country that was established long before the British and the German protectorates were instituted in 1884 and 1885 respectively. Zambesia was a country with many names established in 1830 prior to European colonisation.
This country became host to the first white missionary and explorer Dr David Livingstone in 1849 in the interior of South Africa. The country was never per say colonised by any European power as the British declared a sphere of influence over it between 1885 and 1887. This is confirmed by orders in council dated the 27th of June 1890, 30th June 1890 and order in council dated 1904.
History tells us that there was no boundary between the former German Protectorate of South West Africa (GPSWA) (Namibia) and the former Northern Rhodesia at Wenela.
These two countries have erected a border Post in a country formerly known as Zambesia. The only legitimate boundary is between the state of former Northern Rhodesia and a country formerly known as Zambesia and that boundary is represented by the great Zambezi River and therefore there is no colonial boundary between the current states of Namibia and Zambia at Wenela Border Post.
There is no colonial boundary between the former GPSWA (Namibia) and the former Bechuanaland Protectorate (Botswana) at Ngoma on the Chobe River as the two countries have erected a border Post within the territory of a country formerly known as Zambesia.
These two countries share a common boundary at the 20th degree east of longitude and the 22 degree south latitude respectively as per the Berlin Conference outcomes of 1884/1885 which established colonial boundaries between these two countries.
There is no colonial boundary between the former states of northern Rhodesia and the former Bechuanaland Protectorate at Kazungula on the Zambezi River but rather a boundary between former northern Rhodesia and a country formerly known as Zambesia. This boarder Post erected by the state of Botswana has no historical basis as it has been established on an area which constitutes part of a country formerly known as Zambesia.
The only legitimate border between former Bechuanaland Protectorate and Zambesia was placed at the 22 degree South latitude as per agreement by both Chief Khama of the Bahamangwato tribe and Queen Victoria’s representative SR General Charles Warren on 30th September 1885 at Shoshong and endorsed at the Berlin Conference.
There is no boundary between the state of former Bechuanaland Protectorate at Muhembo border Post and former GPSWA (Namibia) at Muhembo as the colonial boundary between these two states is currently represented by 20th degree east of longitude.
In accordance with British orders in Council dated the 27th June 1890, 30th June 1890, 9th May 1891 and the boundary between the state of former Bechunaland Protectorate and Zambesia was placed at the 22 degrees south latitude.
The Colonial boundary between a country formerly known as Zambesia and country formerly known as Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) was established by a British order in Council dated 18th July 1894 and placed west of Matebeleland and the South African Republic as the boundary.
Given the above, Namibian border posts at Wenela, Ngoma and Muhembo should be re-located to Shambyu, 40km East of Rundu Town.Equally, a Zambian border Post at Katima Mulilo should be relocated east of the Zambezi River.The Botswana border Post at Ngoma, Kazungula and Zimbabwe as well as Muhembo, should be relocated below the 22 degrees south of latitude.
The republic of Botswana should withdraw its administrative structure within the Chobe, Ghanzi and Kgalagadi regions which were declared crown lands by the former British colonial administrations as no Tswana chief claimed them as a result were historically not made part of the former Bechaunaland Protectorate in 1885. The above areas were merely part of a British sphere of influence declared over a country formerly known as Zambesia between 1885 – 1887.
The republic of Namibia should withdraw its administrative structure within the Additional Strip of SWA (Caprivi Strip) and the Caprivi Zipfel (ECZ) because these areas historically never became part of the former German Protectorate of SWA (Namibia). Incidentally the former Caprivi Zifel later to be known as EZC covered an area between East of the Okavango river and Impalira Island and western caprivi formerly known as the additional strip of south west Africa covered an area west of the Okavango river and Mashare college which is forty kilometres east of Rundu town but these arrangements were abolished after World War I.
The areas were merely part of the British sphere of influences declared on a country formerly known as Zambesia and set aside for the Germany to access the Zambezi River from their Protectorate. That arrangement was abolished a long time ago following Germany’s defeat as the purpose for which this arrangement was made was no longer valid. Let everybody know this history so they can make their own judgements as to the way forward on this matter.
Ben.S. Siyambango Nzehengwa
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