THE CONTROVERSIAL SALE OF MWALULE A SACRED BEMBA HERITAGE
The sale of Mwalule, the revered burial site of the Bemba chiefs, has sent shockwaves through the Bemba community and the nation at large.
This sacred forest, deeply embedded in Bemba cultural and spiritual identity, was sold without the knowledge or consent of the traditional leaders who have long safeguarded it.
Mwalule is located in Chinsali District of Muchinga Province.
It is not merely a piece of land but a highly guarded traditional forest where the Bemba chiefs’ ancestors rest.
It serves as an exclusive resting place for past chiefs and is managed by the hereditary royal priest and undertaker, known as the “Shimwalule”.
Access to this sacred site is strictly limited to the “ba Shichingo,” who are specially appointed traditional custodians responsible for maintaining the sanctity of the grounds.
The site embodies centuries of history, spirituality, and cultural continuity for the Bemba people.
Its significance transcends physical boundaries; it is a symbol of identity, authority, and ancestral power that governs the community’s well-being and cohesion.
The startling news is that Mwalule was sold without proper approval from the council committee, the full council, and the Chief of the land igniting outrage.
Investigations alleged that the “big buyer” is a senior government official who used a proxy to acquire the land clandestinely.
This unauthorized transaction not only violated established traditional protocols but also sparked widespread speculation about the motives behind the purchase.
Among the Bemba chiefs and their followers, suspicions run deep. Some fear the “big buyer” aims to exploit or tap into the spiritual potency believed to reside in the burial site, seeking personal spiritual power or for black magic power through the sacred resting place of the Bemba chiefs – who rest in the sitting position.
Others suspect economic motives, such as harvesting timber from the untouched virgin forest or exploring mineral wealth, given recent surveys hinting at the possibility of exploitable resources such as gold beneath the land.
The Bemba Royal Establishment has urgently appealed to President Hakainde Hichilema’s government to annul the sale and return the forest to its rightful custodians.
They emphasize that despite lacking formal gazettement, this forest is ancestral land whose sanctity and rightful ownership are embedded in tradition and collective memory.
Selling such heritage land, they argue, constitutes an affront to Bemba identity and governance structures.
It is unclear why there was no candid dialogue with all stakeholders during the sale of Mwalule, raising concerns about the hasty process of privatising this burial site.