MUNICIPALITY OF BUNDAS

The Municipality of Bundas lies at the south-eastern corner of Moxico Province of Angola near the border with Zambia. Its principal town is Lumbala N’guimbo. Due to the destruction of the Angolan Civil War, it is one of the most remote municipalities in Angola and access remains a large problem despite significant progress, as many roads are still not cleared of land mines and many bridges remain destroyed, but easily accessed by a tar marked road from Luena and a bush truck road from Zambia border to N'inda and then tar marked road to Lumbala N'guimbo.

Lumbala N'guimbo is the administrative centre and seat of the Bundas Municipality. The Bundas comprises seven communes: Lumbala N'guimbo (seat), Lutembo (76 km), Mussuma Mitete (80 km), N'inda (84 km), Sessa (80 km), Chiume (130 km), Luvuei (150 km), and covers an extension of 41,290 square kilometres.^[1]

The population is made up predominantly of the Mbunda who survived their resistance to Portuguese colonial occupation,^[2] and later because of the impact of the Angolan War of Independence (1961–1974), the decolonization conflict in Angola (1974/75),^[3] and the Angolan Civil War (1975–2002) and returnees who have returned to the area since April 2002 after the same conflicts. Due to its inaccessibility and isolation from Luanda, southern Moxico has historically suffered from chronic under-investment from provincial and national authorities. The estimate population of the whole Municipality before the war was 80,000.^[4] At the end of May 2006, the population was estimated to around 45,000. Most of the Bundas population had fled to the neighbouring Zambia. These populations started their long journey back home after closing of the violent chapter ever in the history of the country. The majority of this caseload arrived with proper documents provided by the countries of asylum. The average number of arrivals of spontaneous returnees highly increased. From October 2002 to 17 May 2006, 22,972 returnees registered in Lumbala N'guimbo.^[5]

The Municipality of Bundas now hosts the Mbunda Monarch King Mwene Mbandu III Mbandu Lifuti after its restoration on 16 August 2008, since the kidnapping of King Mbandu I Kapova Lyondthzi by the Portuguese colonialists.^[6] It is under the traditional authority of a Mbunda Paramount Chief Mwene Ngimbu Vukolo, who ascribes to the Mbunda Monarch. The Mbunda prefer calling it Municipality of Lumbala N'guimbo.

The term "Bundas" is a Portuguese term referring to Mbunda.^[7]

Lumbala N'guimbo District Chiefs

Chiefs' Name                                                          River Area Location

1)    Paramount Chief Mwene Ngimbu Vukolo           Ninda ya Ngimbu
2)    Senior Chief Mwene Makai a Lilu                      Mussuma

3)    Swana Mbambi                                              Kavula

4)    Mwene Luneta Lwa Tapalo                              Nengu

5)    Mwene Nyundu Kalela                                    Nengu

6)    Mwene Miwangu                                            Ninda ya Ngimbu

7)    Mwene Manjolo                                             Mixekwa

8)    Mwene Sempyeka Kanzengwe                         Mussuma

9)    Mwene Luneta Nguvu                                     Lukula

10)  Mwene Lilema                                               Lukula

11)  Mwene Mundanya                                          Muxuma

12)  Mwene Chiputa Cha Lyavenga                         Lukula

13)  Mwene Lyonde Viyela                                     Mwokoyi

14)  Mwene Mulyata Chinjavata                             Lyalui

15)  Mwene Munguli Kaneha                                  Nengu

16)  Mwene Lyula Lya Sivi                                     Mixekwa

Ninda District Chiefs

Chief’s Name                                                          River Area Location

1)   Senior Chief Mwene Kalipate                                 Ninda

2)   Mwene Makai Lyawema                                        Lwati

3)   Mwene Mbambo                                                  Mulayi

4)   Mwene Kalyangu                                                 Lwati

5)   Mwene Kundinginda                                             Ninda

6)   Mwene Mulyata Ngongola                                     Tundombe

7)   Swana Mutunga                                                  Ninda

8)   Mukwetunga Mbongi                                            Vuhitu

Chumi District Chiefs

Chief’s Name                                                          River Area Location

1)   Senior Chief Mwene Katuya Ka Thiivi                      Lwasosi

2)   Mwene Tapalo                                                     Lyamuya

Lutembwe District Chiefs

Chief’s Name                                                         River Area Location

1)   Senior Chief Mwene Tepa                                     Lutembwe

2)   Regedor Limbwangu                                            Lutembwe

3)   Mwene Malenga                                                  Muliva

Xexe (Sheshe) District Chiefs

Chief’s Name                                                         River Area Location

1)   Senior Chief Mwene Mumbamba                      Luanginga

2)   Mwene Likupe                                              Sessa

3)   Mwene Kasonda                                           Luemba

4)   Mwene Mulyata                                            Chima

5)   Mwene Lielu                                                Lukula

6)   Mwene Chipupila Muengunga                         Lukokwa Mushuma

Luvuei District Chiefs

Chief’s Name                                                        River Area Location

1)   Mwene Kanjonja                                                   Luio

References

^[1] UNHCR (The UN Refugee Ageny) Briefing, 24 May 2006

^[2] René Pélissier, Les Guerres Grises: Résistance et revoltes en Angola (1845–1941), Montamets/Orgeval: Éditions Pélisier, 1977

^[3] Franz-Wilhelm Heimer, Der Entkolonisierungskonflikt in Angola, Munich: Weltforum Verlag, 1979 ISBN 3-8039-0179-0

^[4] census of 1980

^[5] UNHCR (The UN Refugee Ageny) Briefing, 24 May 2006

^[6] René Pélissier, Les Guerres Grises: Résistance et revoltes en Angola (1845–1941), Montamets/Orgeval: Éditions Pélisier, 1977, "La révolte des Bunda (1916-1917)", pp. 408 - 412

^[7] René Pélissier, Les Guerres Grises: Résistance et revoltes en Angola (1845–1941), Montamets/Orgeval: Éditions Pélisier, 1977, "La révolte des Bunda (1916-1917)", pp. 408 - 412

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