Adamson Mushala

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Adamson Mushala
A digitally cropped photograph of Adamson Mushala (in a suit) in 1975.
A digitally cropped photograph of Adamson Mushala in 1975.
Born
Adamson Bratson Musanda Mushala

1935
Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia)
Died27 November 1982(1982-11-27) (aged 46–47)
North-Western Province, Zambia
Cause of deathGunshot during military ambush
Known forRebelling against the Government of Dr. Kenneth Kaunda

Adamson Bratson Musanda Mushala (1935–27 November 1982) was a Zambian insurgent who led a resistance movement against the one-party government of President Kenneth Kaunda from 1975 until his death in 1982, when he was killed by officers of the Zambian Army.[1]

Life and rebellion

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Adamson Bratson Mushala was born in Zambia in 1935. Before engaging in open rebellion, Adamson Mushala was originally a member of the United National Independence Party (UNIP), where he participated in the fight against colonial rule. He was dispatched to China to receive guerrilla training, anticipating a return to combat the colonial government of Zambia. However, Zambia had already achieved independence by the time he returned. Mushala aspired to be appointed as the Minister Of Tourism and Wildlife under the UNIP government—a request that President Kenneth Kaunda denied.[2] Feeling frustrated and marginalized, Mushala left Zambia with a group of followers for South West Africa, which was then under South African control, to further hone his guerrilla skills.[3]

Inspired by Jonas Savimbi's actions in Angola, Mushala returned to Zambia in 1975 and initiated a rebellion against the UNIP-led government, a campaign that continued until his death in 1982. He was reputed to have survived numerous attempts to capture or kill him, a feat attributed by some to witchcraft and supernatural abilities. Unconfirmed reports suggested that the Zambian government even enlisted the help of witchdoctors, both locally and internationally, in unsuccessful attempts to capture him.[3]

Death

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A cropped image from a Zambian newspaper showing Mushala's corpse being paraded, after being shot on 27 November 1982.

Adamson Mushala was killed in a military ambush on 27 November 1982. The incident took place near his camp in the West Lunga National Park in North-Western Province near Solwezi[4]—the very area where his rebellion had its roots following a post-independence dispute in the 1960s. He was killed by a bullet that struck him through his eye. In a final display intended to confirm his death to the public, Mushala's body was displayed at Solwezi General Hospital for public viewing.[3]

Aftermath

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Following the death of Mushala, leadership of the rebel movement was assumed by his second-in-command, Alexander Saimbwende, who carried on Mushala's insurgency until 25 September 1990. After engaging in talks with Alexander Kamalondo, who was then the Member of the Central Committee for North-Western Province, Saimbwende decided to cease hostilities. He was flown to Lusaka and subsequently received a presidential pardon from Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, marking the formal end to a long-standing resistance movement.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "ADAMSON MUSHALA, Zambia's MOST NOTORIOUS DISSENTER in HISTORY "He Gave Kenneth Kaunda Sleepless NIGHTS"". Tumfweko. 11 February 2012. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  2. ^ Zimba, Jack (29 December 2018). "The Story Of Adamson Mushala, As Told By His Wife". Zambian Observer.
  3. ^ a b c Cowell, Alan (2 January 1983). "'ROBIN HOOD' OF ZAMBIANS: END OF A MYTH". The New York Times.
  4. ^ "Top Guerrilla Chief in Zambia Is Reported Killed in Ambush". The New York Times. 29 November 1982 – via Reuters.