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The Gecko
Who is Hu?
The main
headlines in every newspaper, on radio and on television on Saturday
February, 4 were all about visiting Chinese Leader Hu Jintao.
President
Mwanawasa, his leaders and party cadres from all walks of life, even
PF’s, were caught up in the Jintao fever and the economic gains it
would leave.
Very few people,
perhaps just pockets of ordinary Zambians and family members would
have noticed the scanty headlines in the media announcing the
passing of one Kapasa Makasa, a Legendary Veteran Freedom fighter.
Without taking
anything away from Jintao’s visit, the government should have at
least done something, anything to acknowledge that Zambia had lost
one of its greatest sons.
In as much as
government recognised the visit of Jintao, something should have
been done to acknowledge, at least on a larger scale, that Kapasa
Makasa had died.
Who was Kapasa
Makasa?
This was a true
Zambian and an African to his toes. Kapasa Makasa, born Robert
Makasa, dropped his English name for Kapasa, to retain his
Africaness. A feat that, in those days, would lead one to hell. “No
baptism for you sir!,” Alexander the Great would say.
He was among that
group of exponents, which included Mr Malasha in Kabompo, Dr
Kenneth Kaunda, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, Harry Mwaanga Nkubula, who
vowed to lay down their lives to free this country from colonialism.
When Kapasa Makasa died at the age of 85, his last years could not
be said to have been those that one would expect a revered Freedom
fighter to face.
The Gecko wonders
how much do we place on the heads of our Freedom fighters or notable
figures who have brought glory to this country, people like Paul
Ngozi, Lottie Mwale, Elijah Mudenda, Grey Zulu, Jowie Chimpati
Mwiinga, Fines Bulawayo and others.
Better still the
Gecko would like to pose the question : would Jintao have come to
Zambia if an eminent son of China’s communist struggle had died?
We all know how
the Chinese mourn figures of eminence in their society. Is it not in
these parts that a month of national mourning could be declared?
What was left to
happen to Kapasa Makasa is sad.
It should never
be allowed to happen again.
This great
Freedom fighter was buried unceremoniously in his home town of
Chinsali while all our political leaders were too busy with Mr. Hu
Jintao.
Just across in
Zimbabwe, Freedom fighters are treated with honour. They have in
Harare what they call Heroes Acres and Egoli has just named its
International Airport, Oliver Tambo. Zambians have never thought
this to be important.
Too much time is
wasted in giving medals and most of them posthumously.
Of what good is
any honour, if it comes after your death? Who wouldn’t like to be
honoured to their face?
Of course,
something was done to recorgnise Kapasa Makasa’s Freedom struggle
and his contribution through various works (many will remember him
for writing books like 'The March to Freedom' and 'Bwana District
Commissioner'). In 2002, Kapasa Makasa was among 29 Heroes honoured
with an order of the Eagle of Zambia Second Division by President
Mwanawasa.
This was during
the 38th Independence anniversary at State House.
What can be done
to ensure that those who sacrificed their lives, those who went out
of their way to make Zambia proud locally and internationally, are
not forgotten?
Yes what can be
done?
First, there is a
need for recognition.
Second, there is
a need to give tangible support through the creation of a fund to
look into the interests of these people. If some societies can
support their aged, what more our heroes? This should be done
because many of those who made a mark in this country have ended up
on the breadline.
Artists and
writers should be given the freedom to come up with paintings,
biographies and statues so that these eminent sons of Zambia should
live forever in various effigies and written works.
Books should be
written, documentaries made and shown in schools and on television,
so that this part of history is never forgotten.
Yes, never
forgotten. What with the brain drain?
Many young
persons live close to people like Kapasa Makasa, without realising
who this neighbour is.
Such people are
no ordinary mortals. They are a piece apart from the rest because
whereas some people’s contribution to their country or the life
around them is negligible, these go the extra mile.
These are men
willing to lay down their lives to better society and what greater
sacrifice can there be?
In Britain, there
is what is called Madame Tussaud’. Here is the wax museum which
houses any notable person who has walked this earth in the last 200
years.
There you find
villains from Jack the Ripper to ‘God sent men’ like Nelson Mandela.
What the Gecko is
advocating is something similar : where effigies of those who have
made a mark in our society can be housed.
Five, 10 or 20
years from now, few will remember what Kapasa Makasa looked like.
And if the worst will come to the worst, even the little history
that there is of him will be forgotten.
What legacy will
be left, for those born today, of Kapasa Makasa and others?
It is pathetic
that the tradition being upheld in this country is to only remember
“Freedom Fighters” and great sons of Zambia at Independence
Celebrations.
At investitures,
medals are dished out and sometimes one wonders at the criteria used
to identify recipients because there are many out there, dead or
alive, who qualify to be honoured.
How many can
remember the contributions of Ponsilio Phiri, Henry Mubita Malenga,
Norman Carr, Abraham Kellyford Chubili, Peter Pencil Phiri, Ralph
Saunders, Moto Moto, Monsignor Peter Jailos,? Who were these men?
After these
little medals are placed on the lapel, the receiver is forgotten
until the next October 24. Shameful!
How and why has
this been left to happen?
Can this country
not think beyond this?
Any visit by a
foreign president is a big deal. It must be respected and the
visitor given all the comfort and deserved recognition.
However there is
an African saying, which when translated will read “a visitor will
go, so don’t ignore your old friends”.
Our government
should have given Kapasa Makasa a more decent burial and
recognition.
Zambia has an
endless stream of eminent persons in various fields : Steven
Mpashi, John Konga, King Lewanika, Lucy Sichone, Dominique Mulaisho,
Fwanyanga Mulikita and his wife, Kalaki, Mama Chikamonika, Mama
Kankasa, Trevor Ford alias ‘Yuss”.
Soon,
The Lowdown will be highlighting these personalities, remembering
who they were, what they stood for and their contribution to making
this country what it is today. |
March
2007