Adamson Mushala

Adamson Mushala
A digitally cropped photograph of Adamson Mushala in 1975.
Born	Adamson Bratson Musanda Mushala 1935 Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia)
Died	November 27 1982 North-Western Province, Zambia
Cause of death	Gunshot during military ambush
Nationality	Zambian
Known for	Rebelling against the Government of Dr. Kenneth Kaunda

Adamson Bratson Musanda Mushala 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 Zambia Army.^[1]

Rebellion

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 (now Namibia), which was then under South Africa control. There, he further honed his guerrilla skills. 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.

Death

Adamson Mushala was killed in a military ambush in 1982. The incident took place in the secluded regions of North-Western Province near Solwezi—the very area where his rebellion had its roots following a post-independence dispute in the 1960s. Tragically, 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

Following the death of Adamson Mushala, leadership of the rebel movement was assumed by his second-in-command, Alexander Saimbwende. Saimbwende carried on Mushala's insurgency until September 25, 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.

See also

• Mwamba Luchembe
• Steven Lungu

References