RENAME CHARTER HOUSE TO VERNON J. MWAANGA HOUSE

By: Wynegood Malunga

I was just thinking.

Since the UPND came to power, I have noticed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building which was simply known as that in previous administrations, is now always referred to as Charter House, a name that has colonial attachments. It is time that government considers honoring Zambia’s most accomplished Diplomat and Foreign Affairs Minister in history, Dr Vernon Johnson Mwaanga, GOEZ, by discarding the name Charter House and renaming the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Headquarters, Vernon J. Mwaanga House.

Here is a little history of the name Charter House.

In 1965, the giant British South Africa Company (Chartered) began pulling out of the new Repub lic of Zambia. The company began the process by sacking some of its employees, especially those in the public relations department and selling the majority of their properties in the country. The properties included Charter House, the red-brick colonial structure not across from Police Headquarters building and Ministry of Finance.

Charter House became the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where Mr. Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe as minister would later be based. Also to be sold was Jubilee Court, a block of flats situated just nearby. I believe these are the red-brick flats on Birdcage Walk behind Hotel Intercontinental. Situated at the Civic Center was Charter Hall, a popular venue for weddings, music performances, conferences and other events. Charter Hall was later renamed Nakatindi Hall, after Princess Nakatindi Yeta Nganga who also served in the UNIP administration.

In Ndola, Charter House was also up for sale to the new government. Charter House in Ndola is the current Copperbelt Provincial Headquarters Building but it is not known as Charter House.

The withdrawal of BSAC was a result of the company losing its mineral rights and royalties to the government of Zambia on the eve of Independence in 1964. The royalties deal was reached when BSAC accepted a payment of £4,000,000 (£2,000,000 each from Zambian and British governments) as compensation for the loss of rights. It was believed that until then, the company had collected nearly £200,000,000 gross from mineral royalties, paid out chiefly by the country’s giant copper mines over the years.

We cannot continue holding on to a name with a colonial legacy for a building which an independent Zambia’s international relations with the rest of the world is conducted from.

Apart from his boss, First President Kenneth Kaunda, no other individual left such a huge mark and impact on Zambia’s engagement with the world than Dr Mwaanga did. For me, he is the benchmark, the reference point, for what a Foreign Affairs Minister or senior diplomat should be.

On his 80th birthday in 2024, I wrote this about him: “As Foreign Affairs Minister or Diplomat, Mwaan ga was an imposing figure and commanded respect when he walked into the room and took to the microphone with eloquence. The strong ties we h ave with The Peoples Republic of China today are due Zambia’s unflinching support for the “One China Policy” with Vernon Mwaanga leading the fight as the youngest individual to hold the position of President of the General Assembly. This was probably Zambia’s biggest foreign policy victory at the United Nations.”

I went on to say: “This great politician, in my view, remains Africa’s most accomplished diplomat, outstanding public servant, incredible human being, a man who has served this great nation, the Republic of Zambia, to the best of his ability and with the greatest commitment”.

So, while other prominent Zambians are being named after toll gates, I strongly think the right and honorable thing to do is remember and appreciate this great Zambian diplomat by naming the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters, Vernon J. Mwaanga House. What could be a more fitting gift celebrating his 81st birthday?

It’s just a thought.

The author is a former Director of Marketing for a multinational corporation and is a keen follower and commentator on Global Affairs and domestic issues. The views expressed are entirely his own and do not reflect the views of the Zambian Government.