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Lewis Changufu: Difference between revisions
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'''Lewis Changufu''' (October 1927 - 27 April 2016) was a [[Zambia]]n politician, freedom fighter and the chief architect and co-ordinator of the [[Cha Cha Cha Uprising]] at the height of political campaigns to rid the country of British | {{Infobox person | ||
| name = Lewis Changufu | |||
| image = Lewis Changufu.jpg | |||
| image_size = | |||
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| caption = Photo of Lewis Changufu appearing in the [[Zambia Daily Mail]] after his death. | |||
| birth_name = | |||
| birth_date = October 1927 | |||
| birth_place = [[Lusaka]], [[Zambia]] | |||
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|04|27|1927|10}} | |||
| death_place = | |||
| death_cause = | |||
| spouse = | |||
| children = | |||
| relatives = | |||
| other_names = | |||
| occupation = [[:Category:Politicians|Politician]] | |||
| years_active = | |||
| known_for = [[Cha Cha Cha Uprising]] | |||
| notable_works = | |||
}} | |||
'''Lewis Changufu''' (October 1927 - 27 April 2016) was a [[Zambia]]n politician, freedom fighter and the chief architect and co-ordinator of the [[Cha Cha Cha Uprising]] at the height of political campaigns to rid the country of British colonisation. | |||
==Early life and education== | ==Early life and education== | ||
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After being banned from proceeding to secondary school, Mr Changufu was sponsored by his father to South Africa in 1947 for further education. But when he made a stop-over in Lusaka, a cousin with whom he stayed outwitted him out of his money after promising to repay it at the month-end. After failing to repay the money, this cousin arranged with some friends to have Changufu start work at [[Government Printers]] as trainee printer, book binder and machine minder. While training on-the-job at Government Printers, Changufu enrolled at South Africa’s Lyciam College to study forms one and two by correspondence.<ref name=times>‘Pacesetters Remembered’ by Martin Wamunyima, Times of Zambia</ref> | After being banned from proceeding to secondary school, Mr Changufu was sponsored by his father to South Africa in 1947 for further education. But when he made a stop-over in Lusaka, a cousin with whom he stayed outwitted him out of his money after promising to repay it at the month-end. After failing to repay the money, this cousin arranged with some friends to have Changufu start work at [[Government Printers]] as trainee printer, book binder and machine minder. While training on-the-job at Government Printers, Changufu enrolled at South Africa’s Lyciam College to study forms one and two by correspondence.<ref name=times>‘Pacesetters Remembered’ by Martin Wamunyima, Times of Zambia</ref> | ||
==Early politics== | |||
It was while at Government Printers that he started receiving regular visits from [[Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula]] who would discuss politics with him. He then became Nkumbula’s disciple, and in 1951, he was among those that were campaigning for Nkumbula, who was contesting for the presidency of the [[African National Congress]] (ANC), against [[Godwin Mbikusita-Lewanika]] and [[Safeli Chileshe]].<ref name=times/> | It was while at Government Printers that he started receiving regular visits from [[Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula]] who would discuss politics with him. He then became Nkumbula’s disciple, and in 1951, he was among those that were campaigning for Nkumbula, who was contesting for the presidency of the [[African National Congress]] (ANC), against [[Godwin Mbikusita-Lewanika]] and [[Safeli Chileshe]].<ref name=times/> | ||
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==Masterminding the Cha Cha Cha Uprising== | ==Masterminding the Cha Cha Cha Uprising== | ||
[[File: | [[File:First cabinet - with names.jpg|350px|thumbnail|left|First Cabinet: Lewis Changufu (second in top row from left) with [[Kenneth Kaunda]]'s [[United National Independence Party]].]] | ||
As | As a way of compelling the British government to end the unpopular Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, the [[United National Independence Party]] (UNIP) embarked on a campaign dubbed ''[[Cha Cha Cha]]'' meant to make the then Northern Rhodesia ungovernable.<ref name=dailymail/> | ||
Initially, there was a ‘war cabinet’ which was constituted to oversee the whole operation. Its members were Lewis Changufu as leader, first independence [[:Category:Ministers of Finance|Minister of Finance]] [[Arthur Wina]] and an Irish party member, Mr Edmund. The committee was to identify targets for attack, and to do so, they engaged a group of youths to execute the scheme. One of the targets was a fleet of new government vehicles that were parked at the former Mechanical Services Branch (MSB) premises in [[Lusaka]].<ref name=dailymail/> | Initially, there was a ‘war cabinet’ which was constituted to oversee the whole operation. Its members were Lewis Changufu as leader, first independence [[:Category:Ministers of Finance|Minister of Finance]] [[Arthur Wina]] and an Irish party member, Mr Edmund. The committee was to identify targets for attack, and to do so, they engaged a group of youths to execute the scheme. One of the targets was a fleet of new government vehicles that were parked at the former Mechanical Services Branch (MSB) premises in [[Lusaka]].<ref name=dailymail/> | ||
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The reaction by the Africans was ruthless – a Ndola resident by the name of [[Lilian Burton]] was ambushed and burnt in her car by protesting Zambians. The plan was easy; target a well-known Briton and not a Boer, that way, the message would be loud and clear. | The reaction by the Africans was ruthless – a Ndola resident by the name of [[Lilian Burton]] was ambushed and burnt in her car by protesting Zambians. The plan was easy; target a well-known Briton and not a Boer, that way, the message would be loud and clear. | ||
[[ | [[Lilian_Burton#Investigations_and_arrest|Four people]] were arrested, convicted and hanged in connection with the attack. Two other brothers who were connected to the attack were sent out of the country by UNIP and only returned home after qualifying as medical doctor and accountant. For Changufu, he saw the former men – [[Paikani Phiri]], [[Kaimana]], [[John Chanda]] and [[Ngebe]] – as heroes and not villains. | ||
==Political career== | ==Political career== | ||
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==Death== | ==Death== | ||
Changufu died at the age of 89 on 27 April 2016 at the [[University Teaching Hospital]] after a short illness, and was buried on 30 April 2016 at [[ | Changufu died at the age of 89 on 27 April 2016 at the [[University Teaching Hospital]] after a short illness, and was buried on 30 April 2016 at [[Leopards Hill Memorial Park]] in [[Lusaka]]. President [[Edgar Lungu]] declared an Official Funeral for former Cabinet Minister Lewis Changufu.<ref name=znbc>[http://www.znbc.co.zm/?p=36121 Changufu given official funeral, ZNBC, 28 April 2016]</ref> He was survived by a wife, nine children, 30 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.<ref name=margaret>[https://margaretsamulela.wordpress.com/2016/04/28/zambias-freedom-fighter-lewis-changufu-dies/ ZAMBIA’S FREEDOM FIGHTER, LEWIS CHANGUFU DIES, April 28, 2016]</ref> | ||
==See also== | |||
*[[First Cabinet of Zambia]] | |||
*[[List of members of the National Assembly of Zambia (1964–68)]] | |||
*[[Dingiswayo Banda]] | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{Reflist}} | |||
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[[Category:Defense ministers]] | [[Category:Defense ministers]] | ||
[[Category:Ministers of Home Affairs]] | [[Category:Ministers of Home Affairs]] | ||
[[ | [[Category:Ministers of Information]] | ||
[[Category:People of Zambia]] | |||
[[Category:Politicians]] | |||
