Paul Mushindo
Reverend Paul Bwembya Mushindo (born 1896) was a Zambian minister of the church, teacher, writer and politician. He translated the Bible from English to Bemba language, a task that took him 53 years.
Early life and education
Rev Mushindo was born in 1896. Both his mother and father were members of the Bemba royal family. His father Mr Mushindo was a first nephew of Chiti Kafula, one of the important members of the Bemba royal household. His mother, Kapolyo Mwaba was the daughter of Chief Mwaba Kabundi of the Ngulube clan in the Bemba district of Nkulungwe.
Like many Zambians who went to school in his time, Rev Mushindo graduated as a teacher and taught at the Church of Scotland school at Lubwa Mission near Chinsali Boma and at Shiwa Ng’andu where he met Sir Stewart Gore-Browne, a colonial settler who genuinely and steadfastly supported African advancement and emancipation.
While working as a teacher, he proceeded to Livingstonia, the present day Malawi where he studied theology and qualified as Minister of the Church of Scotland.
Church ministry
He was instrumental in the formation of the United Church of Zambia. He was ordained Minister of the Church of Scotland in 1947.
Translation of the Bible
When he was headmaster at Lubwa, he worked at the school from 07:00hr to 12:30 and then after an hour’s rest. He would spend from 13:30hr to 17:30hr on the huge task of translating the Bible from English to Bemba language, a task that took 53 years to complete. The translation of the Bible led by Reverend Robert McMinn started in 1913 at Mpandala and was only completed in 1966 at Lubwa.
Books
It is incredible that Rev Mushindo had time to write books despite his heavy days. He wrote three Bemba titles, Imilumbe Nenshimi (Riddles and Folktales), Amapinda Mulyashi (Proverbs in Conversations) and Ulubuto Mumfifi (Light in Darkness) and two English titles, A Short History of the Bemba and the Life of A Zambian Evangelist: the Reminiscences of Reverend Paul Bwembya Mushindo. Historian Andrew D Roberts describes Rev Mushindo’s A Short History of the Bemba as a ‘very important source for Bemba history up to the death of Chitimukulu Chitapankwa (1883).’
Political career
Sir Gore-Browne encouraged many Africans to take an active part in politics and supported their education. He was responsible for the sponsorship of Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula’s studies at Makerere University in Uganda. It appears Sir Gore-Browne’s influence led Rev Mushindo to develop interest in politics. In 1944, Rev Mushindo was appointed a member of the Northern Rhodesia African Representative Council for the Northern Province and later became its chairperson. During debates in the council, he consistently opposed the establishment of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.
In 1950, he joined Donald Siwale, the chairperson of the African Welfare Societies, in advocating African rule in Northern Rhodesia and spoke on many other subjects that affected the livelihood of the people of his area. For example in 1948, he called on the government to establish a secondary school in Northern Province and campaigned for better prices for African foods and for an increase in the size of land allocated to peasant farmers.
Honours
In 1947, Rev. Mushindo was honoured by King George of England for his contribution to society.
References
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