On October 27, 1980, both Zambians and the world were jolted when President Kenneth Kaunda made a startling announcement during a press briefing at State House. He revealed that on October 16, security forces had successfully thwarted an attempted coup d'état. According to his claims, this coup was allegedly sponsored by the South African Apartheid government and was originally planned for October 17. However, the intelligence services of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France dismissed the notion of South African government involvement, though individual operatives were not ruled out. This raised questions of plausible deniability.
In this covert operation, a small
group of Zambian professionals and Congolese dissidents had conspired to
overthrow the increasingly unpopular President Kaunda. Miles Larmer identified
the key figures within this diverse group of conspirators. Among them were
Valentine Musakanya, a former governor of the Bank of Zambia and a prominent
businessman who clandestinely financed the United Progressive Party (UPP), an
offshoot of UNIP that posed a significant threat to the ruling party until its
ban in 1972. Another leader was Pierce Annfield, a white lawyer who had
previously defended several opponents of UNIP, including Alice Lenshina and
Simon Kapwepwe. Deogratias Symba, a Katangese militia leader, and Edward
Shamwana, a lawyer and associate of Musakanya, were also part of this group.
Additionally, Lt. Gen. Christopher Kabwe, head of the Zambian Air Force and
Kaunda's pilot, and Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda, who was providing
military training to a private Congolese militia, were involved. Interestingly,
Yoram claimed that Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, who had passed away on January 20 of
the same year, was aware of the plot and gave his blessings, even though he
wasn't involved in its planning.
According to Mumba's account,
other individuals directly involved included Elias Kaenga who was recruiting
Zambian dissidents and Zaireans from Katanga, Col. Mkandawire, Major Macpherson
Mbulo, Anderson Mporokoso, Albert Chilambe Chimbalile, Col. Albert Kaniki, Col.
Modesto Kankunku, and Thomas Mulewa and Laurent Kabwita. Deogratias Symba's
militia had been in Mwinilung'a after being ousted from Katanga by Mobutu Sese
Seko and his Western backers. Symba's involvement was aimed at receiving
reciprocal support to launch an attack against Mobutu.
Following the leak of details
about the impending coup to the authorities, Annfield managed to escape the
country. In contrast, his co-conspirators were less fortunate, lacking the
necessary connections and ending up in detention. Andrew Sardanis, in his book
"Zambia: The First 50 Years," later claimed that Mundia Sikatana, one
of the conspirators and Annfield's law partner, acted as a government mole,
reporting the plans to his cousin, who held a senior position at State House.
Yoram Mumba interestingly attempted to exonerate Sikatana and instead pointed a
finger at Andrew, alleging his involvement in the 1980 coup plot, subtly
suggesting that he even sold the plan to Kaunda, the man who had provided him
with support and room to conduct business.
It was believed that Edward
Shamwana, who was on the verge of being appointed Chief Justice of Zambia
before the coup was foiled, would have led the subsequent interim government together
with Musakanya.
Musakanya and two other alleged
conspirators suffered severe torture, an ordeal from which Musakanya never
fully recovered. Four of the plotters, including Musakanya, were acquitted in
August 1982, partly because evidence extracted during their interrogation was
ruled inadmissible due to torture. Seven of the accused, including Shamwana and
Symba, were found guilty in January 1983 and sentenced to death. They were
subsequently pardoned by Kaunda in 1990.
Charles Mwewa claims that despite their unsettling implications, coups provide an opportunity to understand the motivations of the plotters and give those in power a chance to honestly evaluate the state of the nation. Furthermore, coups offer lessons on pitfalls to avoid and issues that may lead to successful coups since politics often revolves more around perception than reality.
Kaunda would experience two more
coup attempts, one in 1989 led by General Christon Tembo and the
'controversial' one in 1990 by Mwamba Luchembe. Kaunda responded with
determination to these coup attempts but seemed reluctant to invest time in
understanding their underlying causes. These coup attempts foreshadowed the
defeat he would face in 1991.
For most of the 1980 coup
plotters, this event overshadowed all their prior accomplishments, as they are
now primarily remembered for their involvement in the coup. For example,
Musakanya had served as Minister of State, Governor of the Bank of Zambia, and
Managing Director at IBM. While still the Governor of the Bank of Zambia, he
famously criticized the one-party state and the tribal balancing system,
claiming that the latter promoted tribal and ethnic-based politics at the
expense of good governance. His proposal for a limited term limit for the
presidency ultimately led to his dismissal from the Bank of Zambia. Similarly,
Shamwana was known as an exceptional litigator and one of the finest legal
minds in the country.
My Thoughts!
1. 1. Zambians have historically demonstrated their commitment to peaceful and
democratic processes, notably by the ballot. It is essential to dispel any
misconception that they may resort to violence or coup attempts when faced with
grievances. Resorting to coups not only undermines the populace's ability to
determine their own fate but also establishes a concerning precedent that
subsequent generations might find difficult to resist replicating. President
Kenneth Kaunda's tenure, while marked by various achievements, constrained citizens' capacity to exercise their democratic
rights through the electoral process. The importance of safeguarding democratic
principles and respecting the will of the people cannot be overstated in a
nation now known for its history of peaceful transitions and commitment to the
democratic ideal.
2. 2. Interestingly,
3 out of 4 coup attempts in Zambia have been in October: 1980, 1988 and 1997. An
intriguing pattern associated with the timing of such political upheavals.
3. 3. Considering
this year's Independence Day theme, which emphasizes the acceleration of
national development through the equitable distribution of resources, I firmly
believe that General Godfrey Miyanda carries a distinct and vital responsibility
to thoroughly document his life experiences and insights, creating a
comprehensive literary legacy that would prove invaluable for future
generations. Such contributions would not only provide profound insights into
the events, challenges, and decisions that have shaped his lifetime but also
align with the core principles of equitable resource distribution, including
knowledge, history, and experiences. In this context, General Miyanda's
potential literary works would be a testament to his dedication to our
nation and offer clarity on the seemingly contradictions that previous authors have offered on the 1980 attempted coup.
Bibliography
1.
1.
Gewald,
J. B., Hinfelaar, M. and Macola, G. (2008) One Zambia, Many Histories:
Towards a History of Post-colonial Zambia. Netherlands: Brill
2. Larmer, M. (2010) Chronicles of a Coup
Foretold: Valentine Musakanya and the 1980 Coup Attempt in Zambia. The
Journal of African History, 51, pp. 391-409
3. Lermer, M. (ed) (2010) The
Musakanya Papers. Lembani Trust: Lusaka
4. Magande, N.P (2018) The Depth of
My Footprints. Atlanta: Maleendo & Co.
5.
Mumba,
G.Y. 2012. The 1980 Coup: Tribulations of The One-Party State In Zambia.
Lusaka: UNZA Press.
6. Mwanakatwe, J. (2003) Teacher
Politician Lawyer: My Autobiography. Lusaka: Bookworld Publishers
7. Mwewa, C. (2011) Zambia: Struggles of My
People. Lusaka: Maiden Publishing House
8. Sardanis, A. (2014) Zambia: The First
50 Years. London: Bloomsbury Academic
9. Scott, G. (2019) Adventure in
Zambian Politics: A Story In Black And White. Lynne Rienner: London
10. Zukas, S. (2002) Into Exile and Back.
Lusaka: Gadsden Publishers.
