Maiko Zulu has highlighted how one little boy called Chisanga Mubanga,a pupil at Kasama Boys Secondary School has allegedly been denied an education because of his dreadlocks.
It echoes the incident at Parliament when the august house ordered Hon. Munir Zulu to disrobe as he was accused of wearing a dress in Parliament.Rewinding hands of time take us to 1967 when an eleven year old girl Feliya Kachasu, a pupil at Buyantanshi School in Mufulira on the Copperbelt was expelled for not saluting the Zambia flag and singing the National Anthem.
She did so following her beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness who do not engage in politics.
Overtime dreadlocks were considered a sign of rebellion while others take it as a symbol of freedom as can be seen with likes of Kenyan freedom fighter Dedan Kimathi and his Mau Mau group..
Miaiko Zulu claims Rastafarians abide by the Solimonic law of keeping dreadlocks as a covenant with the Creator. According to Old Testament scripture (Leviticus 19:27), Rastas believe one should not cut their hair because it is where their strength lies. Dreadlocks form naturally over time.
The scripture says: “You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard.’The case of Chisanga has been reported to the Human Rights Commission in Kasama .
In the case Kachasu, her father sued the Attorney General on her behalf in1967.
Scores of members of Jehovah’s witnesses took interest in the case and some traveled from Mufulira to attend court sessions. The proceedings lasted three days.According to those that attended, they claim,:
The Chief Justice concluded: “There is no suggestion in this case of Jehovah’s Witnesses intending any disrespect to the national anthem or the national flag by their actions.” However, he did rule that the ceremonies were secular and that despite Feliya’s sincere beliefs, she could not claim exemption under the provisions of the education act.
The ceremonies, he believed, were required in the interests of national security. How the imposition of such a requirement upon a minor would serve the interests of the people was never established. No school for Feliya while she held to her beliefs!
The Jehovah’s Witnesses claim by the close of 1968, almost 6,000 of their children had been expelled.
In the case of Chisanga, the Rastafarians are claiming their children are not being given the same freedom as that of christian, Muslim and the Sikh.Is it a crime to be a Rastafarian in Zambia?Zulu asks.