The Kingdom of Barotseland, historically known as Bulozi, developed as a powerful polity in the upper Zambezi floodplains. Its people, the Lozi, created a centralized monarchy under the Litunga (king), which dealt directly with European colonial powers. In the late 19th century, Barotseland became a British protectorate under agreements signed with King Lewanika, preserving its monarchy and internal autonomy.

When Zambia moved toward independence in the early 1960s, Barotseland negotiated terms with Prime Minister Kenneth Kaunda’s government. The resulting Barotseland Agreement of 1964 recognized Barotseland as an autonomous region within Zambia, with rights to self-governance and preservation of traditional structures. However, by 1969, the Zambian government unilaterally abrogated the agreement, stripping Barotseland of its autonomy and incorporating it as Zambia’s Western Province.

This breach fueled deep resentment among the Lozi. Since then, Barotseland activists have demanded the restoration of autonomy or full independence. Periodic protests and uprisings in the region have been met with heavy-handed responses from Zambian authorities, including arrests of activists and suppression of demonstrations.

In 2012, Barotseland independence movements issued a statement declaring the 1964 agreement null and void and proclaimed the restoration of Barotseland’s independence. While the declaration was not recognized by Zambia or any international body, it revived nationalist fervor. The Barotseland National Freedom Alliance and other groups continue to campaign internationally, framing their struggle as one of decolonization and broken treaties.

Today, Barotseland remains firmly under Zambian control, but the Lozi people’s historical memory of sovereignty and the 1964 agreement form the core of their independence claim. The idea of Bulozi as a nation persists, symbolizing both historical legitimacy and the ongoing struggle for self-determination.