The Editor Zambia
For many Zambians, the name Samu Lya Moomba may immediately evoke images of a Tonga traditional ceremony in Southern Province.
But beneath the cultural celebrations lies a much bigger story, one that belongs not only to the Tonga people but to the entire nation. 
Samu Lya Moomba in Chief Choongo’s Chiefdom in Bweengwa Constituency in Monze District is a place of profound historical importance because it formed part of the story of Zambia’s struggle for independence.
It was one of the places where nationalist leaders and traditional authorities met, discussed the future of the country, and mobilised resources for the liberation struggle.
It is therefore important that Samu Lya Moomba should no longer be viewed simply through an ethnic or regional lens because it is a national heritage site that provides an opportunity for Zambians to remember that independence was not won by one tribe, one region or one political organisation. It was the product of contributions from people across the country.
President Hakainde Hichilema, speaking at the Samu Lya Moomba Traditional Ceremony, aptly captured this historical significance by commending the traditional leaders and nationalist figures who gathered at the site during the struggle against colonial rule.
He specifically recognised the contribution of the late First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula, and other leaders from across the country who worked together to secure independence.
“Like Samu Lya Moomba, other places across the country were also used as sites at which our fore-fathers met and ensured our country was liberated, and we commend them for that,” President Hichilema said to a cheering huge crowds that attended this year’s ceremony.
His message went beyond historical remembrance. It was a reminder that Zambia’s greatest strength has always been its ability to bring together people of different ethnic backgrounds for a common national purpose.
“We must remain united: One Zambia, One Nation, One People. This was the spirit that guided our independence struggle,” the President said.
That message deserves particular attention at a time when tribal and regional sentiments occasionally threaten to obscure Zambia’s shared history.
Those preaching tribalism should take time to understand the contribution made by people not only of Southern Province but all the 10 provinces of Zambia to the liberation struggle.
Samu Lya Moomba provides tangible evidence that the people of the South were not spectators in the making of Zambia.
President Hichilema recalled how people in Southern Zambia pooled their cattle, which were subsequently sold to raise funds to support the independence struggle and the crucial engagements that eventually led to independence.
“This mobilisation of cattle and the holding of crucial meetings took place in Chief Choongo’s Chiefdom, at the place now called Samu Lya Moomba,” he said.
This is a powerful historical lesson. The cattle contributed by ordinary people represented a sacrifice for a cause that was larger than individual communities.
The resources mobilised at the site helped support the nationalist struggle and the efforts leading to the Lancaster House negotiations in Britain.
The significance of Samu Lya Moomba was reflected by the remarkable representation at this year’s ceremony, where 71 traditional leaders attended and all 10 provinces were represented. Members of the UPND Alliance and the diplomatic corps were also present.
Such representation transformed the ceremony from a purely traditional gathering into an important national occasion.
The Minister of Green Economy and Environment Dr Gilbert Siame also called for Samu Lya Moomba to be incorporated into the country’s education Curriculum.
This is an important proposal because young Zambians cannot be expected to appreciate national unity if they are not taught the history of the sacrifices that produced it.
History should not live only in archives, speeches, and commemorative ceremonies. It should be taught in classrooms, visited by schoolchildren, and discussed as part of the story of Zambia’s birth as an independent nation.
Chief Bunda Bunda reinforced this message in his vote of thanks by calling for unity and discouraging tribal and regional politics. His intervention was particularly significant because traditional leaders remain custodians not only of culture but also of values that bind communities together.
Samu Lya Moomba should, therefore, be embraced by all Zambians regardless of tribe, province, or political affiliation.
The annual ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate a historical event whose meaning extends far beyond the Tonga-speaking people.
It reminds the nation that, like all other provinces of Zambia, Southern Zambia also contributed men, women, resources, leadership, and meeting places to the struggle for freedom.
As Zambia continues to confront the dangers of tribalism and regional division, Samu Lya Moomba offers a different narrative: that our diversity can be a source of strength when united around a common national purpose.
The lesson from the freedom fighters who gathered at Samu Lya Moomba is simple and enduring. They did not sacrifice for a Tonga Zambia, a Bemba Zambia, an Eastern Zambia, or a Western Zambia. They sacrificed for Zambia.
That is why Samu Lya Moomba belongs to every Zambian.
It is not merely an ethnic traditional ceremony. It is a living monument to the spirit of One Zambia, One Nation, One People.
