MUTAND YEMBIYEMB

Mutand Yembiyemb (16?-circa 1710) was an important agent in the 17th century expansion of the Lunda empire, the capital of which was at Musumba, 240 km (150 mi) north of modern Dilolo.

Late in the 17th century, the Lunda Mwant Yav (ruler) Muteb a Kat organised a military expedition toward the southeast. He entrusted command of the expedition to his paternal uncle, Mutand Yembiyemb. Given the military title of kazembe (governor), Mutand was ordered to end the insubordination of the Kosa, or Ako people. Although they were Lunda who supposedly had settled west of the Lubudi River in the time of Chibind Yirung, the Kosa refused to recognise the authority of the Lunda paramount the Ant Yav (plural of Mwant Yav). In the late 1600s, the Lunda-speaking Kosa were ruled by Muin Cibalak and his nephew, Cinyat Mfemb, who was second in command.

After some years of fighting, the Kosa yielded to Mutand Yembiyemb who also subjected the Lukoshi, and defeated the Ambwela on the Lukoshi River. Then, Mutand established his headquarters at Cinyat’s old capital, located just north of modern Mutshatsha, about 300 km (200 mi) southeast of Musumba. From there he ruled the Lunda groups who had immigrated earlier and who dominated the existing populations. Mutand also imposed his authority over Musokantanda, chief of the Ndembu-Kosa people, living near modern Kolwezi. After this, Mutand sent his son Kafirind, with the now loyal children of his one-time adversary, Cinyat Nfemb, to subdue the Sanga, a Luba and Lunda-related group living northwest of modern Likasi. After the Sanga had been subdued, the Lunda attacked and defeated Luba chiefs who were raiding Sanga land.

Many non-Lunda people were won over to Matand Yembiyemb by Lunda prestige and by the Lunda ability to provide security against outside raiders. These non-Lunda groups reinforced Kazembe Mutand’s army. This army’s march, therefore, became a real migration as women and children followed the army, and as families settled with their clan leaders on the conquered lands.

After his campaigns, Mutand returned to his headquarters, Cinyat’s old capital, where he ruled as governor-general of all the conquered territory. His generals oversaw the provinces which they themselves had conquered. They owed Mutand tribute, part of which regularly was sent to Musumba.

In the meantime, the former ruler Cinyat Memb was dispatched to Musumba, where he received good treatment from the Mwant Yav. While Cinyat was staying at Musumba, a fire, supposedly caused by the head blacksmith Rubund or Lubunda, broke out. In fear, Rubund fled towards the south-east, crossed the country controlled by Mutand, and settled among the Sanga, who authorised him to pursue his profession as a blacksmith. Here, Rubund no longer worked with iron but copper, extracted by the subjects of the Sanga chief Pande and the Lemba chief Katanga. (Pande-Mpand means fork in Lunda—had once been the war name of the Lunda conqueror, Mutombo Kola whose descendants ruled the Sanga in the 1600s). Katanga, who lived east of what is now Likasi, was a Lunda chief ruling over the Lemba, a group supposedly composed of Lunda immigrants from an early period.

Not long after Rubund’s flight, Kazembe Mutand sent tribute to the Mwant Yav in the form of cone (conus) shells from the Indian Ocean and copper bracelets from the Shaba area. When Kazembe Mutand’s emissaries mentioned chief Pande, chief Katanga, and the blacksmith Rubund as the manufacturers of the copper bracelets, Mwant Yav Muteb dispatched a trusted official, Mushid, to look for Rubund. Mushid was given the title of Kazembe with the same powers as Mutand Yembiyemb. Mushid got lost, however, and went down the Zambezi River, where he probably was killed by the Lozi. Mwant Yav then sent Cinyat Mfemb to Mutand Yembiyemb with orders to occupy the Keila rock-salt mines (north of Muskantanda), and the copper mines of Pande and Katanga. Cinyat was also asked to bring Rabund back to Musumba.

Mutand Yembiyemb headed the expedition, while Cinyat acted as second in command. After surrendering without resistence, Pande led the Lunda to Chief Cibwid who controlled the Kecila rock-salt mines. Once Cibwid capitulated, Cinyat, who commanded the Lunda vanguard, seized some salt to send to Mwant Yav Muteb. Mutand confiscated all the consignments, however, although some salt eventually reached Musumba, carried by a secret emissary who denounced Mutand’s manoeuvres. While Muteb was angered and summoned his Kazembe to Musumba, Mutand was able to justify himself and then returned to his post in the Lualaba area. Meanwhile, Cinyat, Pande, Cibwid, and Pande a Muvomb went to Musumba, where they were received as important Lunda dignitaries. For his part, the blacksmith Rubund had fled from Kazembe Mutand’s expedition, taking refuge in the Luapula region among the Mbeba, where he founded a small chieftainship.

When Cinyat came home from the Lunda capital, Musumba, Mutand Yembiyemb had him arrested and drowned in the Mukulweji River, near his headquarters. Cinyat’s children then lodged a complaint against Kazembe Mutand with the Mwant Yav, who thereupon convened the Citentam, (the Lunda supreme council). The Chitentam condemned Mutand, replacing him with Cinyat’s eldest son, Ngand a Bilond.

Ngand a Bilond, (“Land of Metal”), whose real name was Idim, received the title of Kazembe and was commissioned to kill Mutand Yembiyemb. Caught between the forces of Ngand a Bilond and of Kanyimbu Newej Mpemb, the new Kazembe’s half brother, Mutand Yembiyemb fled to the south in about 1710, and was never heard from again.

TSHIBANGU KABET MUSAS