Mwami Kalasa Mukanda-Bantu

Mukanda Bantu can be translated as “the one who walks on his foes”

The Mwami Mwenda Kalasa Mukanda Bantu (years in power: 1891-1910) was the son of Msiri, King of the Bayeke and the Mugoli (queen) Mukunto, who was originally from Rhodesia/Luapula. The Mwami Mukanda Bantu, of his birth name Kalasa, also had a brother named Muya Usonsa. Kalasa was born in the mid 1800’s, maybe around 1851, a few years before Msiri became king in Katanga. Kalasa chose the name of Mukanda Bantu on the day of his enthronement on December 21st, 1891. His story is inextricably tied to the tragedy in Munema and the difficult days that would ensue.

Here are extracts taken directly from the book entitled, “The Bayeke of Garanganze” that was written by the Mwanangwa Célestin Nsamba Malezi. They describe the tragic events that defined the life of Mukanda Bantu, and would later shape it.

The Post M’siri Era

On the day Msiri was killed, soldiers from the Stairs expedition committed atrocities, following direct orders from their superiors, who were so-called “Christians and civilized”. Remember that Bodson, a captain from the same expedition, had just killed Msiri in Munema, only to be killed himself by Masuka (M’siri’s son). Stairs soldiers decapitated Msiri and placed his head on a stake for villagers to see. This is the backdrop on which were drawn the events that would lead up to Mukanda Bantu’s enthronement as king of the Bayeke.

Stairs’ men plundered Msiri’s warehouses and different residences, such as Nkuru, Kaleba and Munema, except for properties that were in the neighborhood of Kimpata. They dismantled fences that surrounded the Nkuru, in order to build a fort for Stairs. Essentially, Stairs wanted to erase any symbol that reminded people of Msiri.

No amount of storytelling can capture the indignation and fear that the brave people of Bunkeya must have felt on that fateful night. A thick dark cloud covered the star-lit skies of Bunkeya; everyone stayed in their dwellings trying to make sense of what had just happened. Children stopped playing, paralyzed by fear and their parent’s despair. Only dogs could be heard howling into the night. Everyone must have felt a deep sense of sadness, for the brutal and sudden death of their beloved “Seba” (father, protector). Some, the most shaken, left the capital to return in their regions or origin.

This is how the events of December 20, 1891 unfolded; the day Mwami M’siri was cowardly assassinated.

December 21, 1891

Even with his apparent victory, Captain Stairs felt uneasy because he had lost his most able deputy, Bodson. Worse still, he did not know how the Bayeke would react. At this point, he had not engaged in any talks with M’siri’s closest family members or collaborators. In fact, he had been told rumors that Mukanda Bantu and his uncle Ntalasha were mobilizing warriors to kill the Europeans.

In Bunkeya, word was circulating that Captain Stairs was hunting down Msiri’s notables in order to put them to death.

Meanwhile, some of those same notables, such as Kyamunda and Magabwa had trekked to Kankofu for a meeting with the one who was the highest figure around in the Yeke hierarchy and Msiri’s relative, Ntalasha Ilezya Milimo.

Msiri’s Burial

Ntalasha and Stairs finally had a meeting. As the two men shook hands, Stairs presented Ntalasha with a makeshift chair that his people had prepared. Symbolism was rife, as these two men had to gauge one another and convey to the other who had power. The tide had turned. Shortly thereafter, they were joined by Kalasa Mukanda Bantu and some Batoni (Mwami’s aides). At this time, the Bayeke’s highest priority was to collect the remains of Msiri.

Stairs exclaimed: “You did well by coming over. I was concerned. Some informants told me that you had plans of killing me as well as my deputies. But now that you are here, I hope we will come to some agreement. What happened is behind us now. It was the young man’s fault (speaking of Bodson, who had killed Msiri); I warned him before his departure (Bodson had gone to Munema to confront Msiri and kill him).” Stairs hastened to add, “What he has done is very sad, however, I will ask you not to seek retribution, for after all he was also killed.” But everyone knew that he was telling lies.

At the end of their meeting, Stairs authorized Mukanda Bantu to bury his deceased father.

Prince Mukanda Bantu went accompanied by Kyamunda (a prince) and Kipimpwe (his loyal servant). The latter, with the assistance of some servants enveloped the remains of Msiri in a cloth. They then took the deceased to Munema, where the funeral in the traditional Yeke custom was conducted prior to the interment in the compound of Nihozyo; the same one he had visited the previous day. Msiri was interred next to his cousins Kabobo and Magande Mulozi, commonly known as Kusongololwa, who was the paternal uncle of Magande.

Once this noble duty was completed, the elders of the kingdom went to Kankofu at the residence of the Mwanangwa Ntalasha to begin the talks that would lead up to the succession. The talks did not last however, and the council reached a consensus and designated Kalasa Mukanda Bantu.

When the assembly had left Kankofu to go present the designated Mwami to Captain Stairs, some of those who had not participated in the conclave thought that Ntalasha was the chosen one because he was transported in a Tipoi (mode of transportation reserved to notables of elevated ranks and kings). Even Stairs got confused; he thought that the ‘older’ notable was the designated candidate. As a matter of fact, as soon as Ntalasha descended from the Tipoi, he was given a chair and space to sit. The Bayeke surrounded Ntalasha to witness this momentous ceremony.

Then Stairs asked Ntalasha if he was the one who would succeed his brother. Without hesitation, Ntalasha presented his “son” Kalasa and proclaimed, “Here is my son Kalasa. He will reign over our people and it is with him that you will have to deal!”

These are the sad circumstances that surrounded the selection of Mwami Kalasa Mukanda Bantu. As somber as they may have been, the empire of Msiri would traverse bleaker days still.

The Basanga and a number of autochthonous tribes had revolted against M’siri. They wanted to free themselves from his domination. However, thanks to victories that were won by the Bayeke with the help of principally Baluba and Baushi allies, a still fragile order was reestablished in the empire by the time the Stairs Expedition arrived in Bunkeya.

The refusal of Msiri to accept the implantation of the Congo Free State Flag cost him his life and pains that cannot be enumerated here, befell our vanquished country.

To make matters worse, sometime after the death of Msiri, the colonial powers decided to transfer our capital to Litupisha, a few kilometers away. This strategic decision had nefarious consequences on our kingdom and the population of Bunkeya. In essence what the colonial powers wanted was to recruit Yeke armies and warriors to help them quell some regional uprisings.

Faced with these misfortunes, Mukanda Bantu called for public ceremonies to invoke the spirits of our ancestors, in particular, Muhemwa (Msiri’s grandfather). As shared by the Mwami Luhinda in his book of yeke songs, the Mwami Mukanda Bantu said: “Stricken by multiple misfortunes, I shall go to Mumba to consult soothsayers. You, Princes, do invoke the spirits of Muhemwa, and ask him to have mercy on us.”

“Mutemi Kusaya, Mayo, myongo ziangalamira mu nundu mwa Mumba. Nimwe Banangwa mulagame kwisenga misambwa ya Muhemwa.”

Epilogue

Mukanda Bantu had his share of challenges as Mwami. The colonial powers had just killed his father and their goal was to subjugate them in order to fully takeover Katanga. Little by little, they took necessary measures to reach their objectives. The first one was to transfer the capital of the Bayeke from Bunkeya to Litupisha, close to the Lofoi falls. This forced deportation greatly reduced the Mwami’s margin of maneuver, thus forcing him to be absent from Bunkeya, the capital and symbolic site of the Bayeke. By the thousands, some followed the Mwami, while others grew disenchanted and returned to their places of origins.

Meanwhile, the rebellion was raging. Mukanda Bantu had to fight several battles for the integrity of the kingdom and to end internecine wars. He had to quickly realize that the balance of power had shifted. Yet, he succeeded in maintaining the kingdom of the Bayeke and was instrumental in defining the Yeke life, culture and society after M’siri.

The diplomatic route was his only hope for the survival of the Bayeke. Wars had become unwinnable due to the military imbalance and the unbearable loss of lives. The Bayeke supremacy was greatly diminished and so was the influence of Mukanda Bantu. Quickly, the western style of governance replaced the powers of the Mwami who heretofore had been the Lumarizya (the one who decides everything).

In spite of these aforementioned adversities, the Mwami Kalasa Mukanda Bantu never lost his dignity and honor. As his health began to decline, the colonial powers cleared the path for his return to Bunkeya, where he died shortly thereafter on July 17, 1910.