Livingstone, Zambia

Livingstone Maramba
colonial style buildings in the centre of town
Livingstone Location in Zambia
Coordinates: 17°51′S 25°52′E
Country	Zambia
Province	Southern Province
District	Livingstone District
Elevation	3,235 ft (986 m)
Population (2010 census)
• Total	136,897

livingstone town

Livingstone, sometimes known as Maramba, is the capital of the Southern Province of Zambia, a tourism centre for the Victoria Falls lying 10 km (6.2 mi) north of the Zambezi River, it is a border town with road and rail connections to Zimbabwe on the other side of the Victoria Falls. A historic British colonial city, its present population was estimated at 136,897 inhabitants at the 2010 census. It is named after David Livingstone, the British explorer who was the first white man to explore the area.

History

Pre-colonial History

Mukuni, 9.6 km (6.0 mi) to the south-east of present day Livingstone, was the largest village in the area before Livingstone was founded. Its Baleya inhabitants, originally from the Rozwi culture in Zimbabwe, were conquered by Chief Mukuni who came from the Congo in the 18th century. Another group of Baleya under Chief Sekute lived near the river west of the town. The most numerous people in the area, though, were the Batoka under Chief Musokotwane based at Senkobo, 30 km (19 mi) north. These are southern Tonga people but are culturally and linguistically similar to the Baleya and grouped with them as the 'Tokaleya'.

Memorial to David Livingstone

The Tokaleya paid tribute to the Lozi of Barotseland but in 1838 the Kololo, a Sotho tribe from South Africa displaced by Zulu wars, migrated north and conquered the Lozi. The Kololo placed chiefs of their subordinate Subiya people of Sesheke over the Tokaleya. In 1855 Scottish missionary traveller David Livingstone became the first European to be shown the Zambezi in the Livingstone vicinity and to see Victoria Falls when he was taken there by the Subiya/Kololo Chief Sekeletu.

In 1864 the Lozi threw off their Kololo masters and re-established their dominance over the Subiya and the Tokaleya in the vicinity of the Falls, which became the south-eastern margin of the greater Barotseland kingdom.

Colonial history

In the 1890s Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company established British Empire rule north of the Zambezi and launched a wave of mineral prospecting and exploration of other natural resources such as timber, ivory and animal skins in the territory it called North-Western Rhodesia. The main crossing point of the Zambezi was above the falls at the Old Drift, by dugout canoe, later an iron boat propelled by eight Lozi paddlers, or a barge towed across with a steel cable. The Batoka Gorge and the deep valley and gorges of the middle Zambezi (now flooded by the Kariba Dam) meant there was no better crossing point between the Falls and Kariba Gorge, 483 km (300 mi) north-east. As the Old Drift crossing became more used, a British colonial settlement sprang up there and around 1897 it became the first municipality in the country and is sometimes referred to as 'Old Livingstone'. Proximity to mosquito breeding areas caused deaths from malaria, so after 1900 the Europeans moved to higher ground known as Constitution Hill or Sandbelt Post Office, and as that area grew into a town it was named Livingstone in honour of the explorer.

In the mid-1890s Rhodesian Railways had reached Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia spurring industrial development there, fuelled by the coal mines at Hwange just 110 km (68 mi) south-east of Mosi-oa-Tunya. The railway was extended to Hwange for the coal, but Rhodes' vision was to keep pushing north to extend the British Empire, and he would have built it to Cairo if he could. In 1904 the railway reached the Falls on the southern side and construction of the Victoria Falls Bridge started. Too impatient to wait for its completion, Rhodes had the line from Livingstone to Kalomo built and operations started some months in advance of the bridge using a single locomotive which was conveyed in pieces by temporary cableway across the gorge next to the bridge building site.

With the new Bridge open in September 1905, Livingstone boomed for British colonial settlers as they arrived stole African land and livestock from the indeginous people of the area. The British South Africa Company moved the capital of the territory there in 1907. In 1911 the company merged the territory with North-Eastern Rhodesia as Northern Rhodesia.

Livingstone prospered from its position as a gateway to trade between north and south sides of the Zambezi, as well as from farming in the Southern Province and commercial timber production from forests to its north-west. British settlers established local schools for their children, several churches, dining and entertaining businesses, local chambers of commerce, several banks, and large numbers of elegant colonial mansions and houses were erected which still stand. At the same time, they instituted a vicious system of apartheid in which they created a 4-tiered caste system, with the English perched at the top, the Indians they imported for the purpose of blocking the progress of the indigenous African owners of the land in second place, mixed-race coloureds in third place, with the indigenous Africans in distant, marginalised, abused and oppressed 4th plance. Although the capital was moved to Lusaka in 1935 to be closer to the economic heartland of the Copperbelt, industries based on timber, hides, tobacco, cotton (including textiles) and other agricultural products continued to grow based on British managers abuse of the indigenous African laborers. Eventually, British capital, British settlers, and their Rhodesian descendents organized, capitalized, and built a hydroelectric plant. The British had stolen African copper long enough to have enough money to undertake the project. It took water from the Eastern Cataract of the Falls, becoming the largest hydroelectric plant in Africa. The town of Victoria Falls in Southern Rhodesia had the tourist trade, but many supplies were bought from Livingstone.

Of all the towns in Northern Rhodesia, colonial Livingstone took on the most civilized British and European character. Like most of Southern Rhodesia's or South Africa's cities at that time, it was one of the most developed urban area of sub-Saharan Africa having all the British-like facilities found anywhere in the world with gentlemen's clubs, pubs, hotels, hunting lodges, chambers of commerce, theatres, and housing estates. All these amenities build with money acquired by the theft of African resources, and the abuse and exploitation of African labour were strictly forbidden for African use. Surrounded by large numbers of African tribes and a highly illiterate black urban population, in keeping with English policy of denying Africans education, it had a strongly marked segregation which while not being officially enshrined as an apartheid policy, had similar practical effects. The north and western halves of the town and the town centre were reserved for the colonial government and white-owned businesses and associated residential areas, while African townships such as Maramba (named after the small Maramba River flowing nearby) were in the east and south and were inhabited by working servants, craftsman, tradesman, as well as large numbers of non-working black families suffering under welfare dependency. Asians and people of mixed race owned businesses in the middle, on the eastern side of the centre.

As the British government began publicly discussing independence under pressure from the United States of America and Soviet Union, and news of the large scale genocide of white colonials in nearby Belgian Congo was heard, many Northern Rhodesians feared abandonment by the British colonial government. Consequently, many Northern Rhodesians began making moves to migrate south toward Southern Rhodesia or South Africa. When Northern Rhodesia was in fact ordered disbanded by the British government, an all black rule state consisting of the black tribes called Zambia was erected in its place over the Northern Rhodesian settlers, many more Northern Rhodesian whites continued to flee. By 1968, a one party black dictatorship had been established which seized most remaining non-black property, especially those of Rhodesians. Consequently, most of the remaining Northern Rhodesians left after an official policy of nationalisation in Zambia was announced and an outbreak of terror, crime, and violence began against whites.

At the end of English rule in 1964, Africans were handed a country in which there were only 100 black college graduates, amost all in social sciences from Fort Hare, the university for Black people located in South Africa. At the same time white people fled the country with skills, hoping to precipitate a collapse of the country. With them they took what they could take, across the river to Southern Rhodesia where they would wait the inevitable plea from the country to return and facilitate the salvation. The English misrule of the country left it without secondary schools, roads, hospitals, etc , to\ say nothing of a university. Basically, the country was left for dead.

Post-independence

aerial view of sun international hotels and view of victoria falls water appearing as smoke appearing in mid-air

As the descendents of the founders of Livingston had mostly fled by 1972, Livingston rapidly fell into disarray. The official policy of nationalisation further ruined Livingston as many mansions, houses, and other colonial civic buildings were destroyed and replaced with an African architecture. Nonetheless, a large infusion of cash from the British government to Zambia at independence was partially used in Livingstone. Unfortunately, most of this was used to destroy the old colonial civic buildings and rebuild them with the graft and labor of Zambia's ruling political party. This included a vehicle assembly plant, as well as the benefit of tourism mounted by a large number of Northern Rhodesian army veterans who were hired to assist those projects.

However, from the late 1960s, when the Rhodesian UDI crisis forced Zambia to close the border at Livingstone (see the main article on Victoria Falls for details) the town suffered economic decline due to a fall in tourism and the loss of trade [this statement is an outright lie. The Rhodesian government closed the border with Zambia to cut off it route to the ocean through which it had been exportig its copper. On January 6th 1964, Zambia was left without an outlet to the ocean when Rhodesia closed the border. Zambians had to drive the copper overland to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. British misrule had, however, left Zambia so backward that there were no Zambians who knew how to drive a truck. As a result, Zambia had to recruit Somali drivers to truck Zambian copper to Tanzania. Descendants of the Somalis have now formed one of the biggest expatriate community in the copperbelt town of Ndola. In 1973, Zambia contracted the Chinese build the 1800 km Tazara Railway, to Dar Es Salaam, and thus thwarted the blockade designed to make it capitulate to the Nazi racism of Ian Smith). Simultaneously, seizure of Northern Rhodesian owned businesses by the new Zambian ruling party and the transfer of property to black strongmen resulted in the misuse of mineral and timber assets [this statemen is another lie. The businesses nationalised under President Kaunda were turned into government parastatals. None were privatised as Kaunda did not care much for the capitalisim that English settlers had brutalised Africans with]. Consequently, not only was the timber industry destroyed as forests around Mulobezi fell to chaotic strip mining by local tribesmen and Zambian businesses but environmental degradation occurred [Another lie . Finally, the hoped for visions of state controlled industries ended as the manufacturing industry suffered from the inefficiencies of black-run enterprises. In the 1970s and 80s this was exacerbated by nationalization of the last white owned stakes in the copper mines and economic woes brought on by low copper prices. Finally, the absolute failure of the black run government's economic management was so total that when trade to the south restarted with Zimbabwean independence in 1980, Livingstone could not take advantage of it. [This is nothing but a bunch of lies. Kaunda was dealt such a terrible hand by the English that right from start, he had to commence the process of nation building. He built roads to all the 53 districts of the countries, where he built the firs hospitals and schools indigenous Africans had seen. He invested in infrastructure, paved roads, built the first university. By 1974, the economy of Zambia was bigger than that of Portugal. The country became optimistic and ambitions. However, the end of the Vietnam was brought about a collapse in the price of copper. At the time, Zambia was forced to take a loan from the IMF to maintain its development schedule. Zambia continued to afford these payments until the US raised interest rates. The caused the amount Zambia was servicing the debt with to triple, and become unmanageable for country. A that time, the IMF began to call the shots in Zambia.

Consequently, in 1980, the town's economy was economically prostrate, the former elegant Northern Rhodesian homes, mansions, hotels, and civic structures had either been destroyed, in ruin, or dilapidated, and as a whole seemed stuck in a time warp of post-colonial failure. In turn, this meant not only that formerly elegant historic colonial buildings were not replaced by new development, it also meant the town could not afford to adequately preserve those that it had.

Nonetheless, all was not lost. In the 1981 movie The Grass is Singing (based on the Doris Lessing novel of that name) and starring Karen Black, John Thaw and John Kani, portions of Livingstone which remained viable were used as the location for a Southern Rhodesian town around 1950, for which year some of the streets in Livingstone could pass without modification.

In the last ten years, although manufacturing industry has continued to decline with the closure of textile businesses unable to compete with Asian imports, With the demise of Zimbabwe, Livingstone has experienced a resurgence in tourism and has firmly become the destination of choice when visiting the Victoria Falls. Livingstone has enjoyed a slight influx of investment in the industry from modern hotel chains like Sun International, to some modern street strip mall centers and restaurants.

Apart from tourism, the other hope on Livingstone's horizon is development stimulated by the Walvis Bay Corridor with the opening of the Katima Mulilo Bridge and completion of the Trans–Caprivi Highway 200 km (120 mi) east, which funnels more trade through the town.

The name Maramba predates Livingstone as the name of the river flowing on the eastern outskirts and the large township next to it. The name is used for a number of places and features in Livingstone and has been proposed as a new or alternative name for the city as a whole. Livingstone is the only non-African name for a town or city town in Zambia not changed since independence. However several websites (including some United Nations ones) and some maps jumped the gun on any decision, and wrongly report that it is now called Maramba. The town's recent tourism success may mean that any change is less likely as businesses are likely to resist anything which would affect recognition of the town as an international tourist destination.

Climate

Livingstone has a humid subtropical climate with hot and rainy wet seasons and very hot pre-wet seasons and mild dry seasons with large temperature differences between day and night.

Climate data for Livingstone, Zambia
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	30.0 (86)	29.7 (85.5)	30.3 (86.5)	29.9 (85.8)	28.0 (82.4)	25.6 (78.1)	25.5 (77.9)	28.4 (83.1)	32.5 (90.5)	34.0 (93.2)	32.6 (90.7)	30.4 (86.7)	29.74 (85.53)
Daily mean °C (°F)	23.6 (74.5)	23.2 (73.8)	23.1 (73.6)	21.9 (71.4)	18.9 (66)	16.0 (60.8)	16.1 (61)	19.3 (66.7)	23.9 (75)	26.2 (79.2)	25.1 (77.2)	23.6 (74.5)	21.74 (71.14)
Average low °C (°F)	18.9 (66)	18.6 (65.5)	17.6 (63.7)	14.8 (58.6)	10.1 (50.2)	6.7 (44.1)	6.3 (43.3)	9.2 (48.6)	14.2 (57.6)	18.2 (64.8)	19.1 (66.4)	18.9 (66)	14.38 (57.9)
Precipitation mm (inches)	173.7 (6.839)	141.1 (5.555)	79.5 (3.13)	24.0 (0.945)	6.0 (0.236)	1.5 (0.059)	0.1 (0.004)	0.3 (0.012)	1.6 (0.063)	24.8 (0.976)	70.4 (2.772)	169.1 (6.657)	692.1 (27.248)
Avg. precipitation days	16	14	9	3	0	0	0	0	0	4	11	16	73
Mean monthly sunshine hours	213.9	197.7	251.1	273.0	303.8	288.0	310.0	319.3	297.0	279.0	228.0	207.7	3,168.5
Source: Hong Kong Observatory,

Livingstone's transport links

See the main article Transport in Zambia for more details.

• Livingstone Maramba Airport: domestic connections via Lusaka and a year-round international connection to Johannesburg, as well as a regular summer charter to Jamestown, Saint Helena.
• Rail (freight only) to Zimbabwe via Victoria Falls Bridge (weight restrictions apply).
• Zambia Railways passenger and freight services to Lusaka and the Copperbelt.
• Mulobezi Railway
• Road to Zimbabwe via Victoria Falls Bridge (weight restrictions apply).
• Lusaka-Livingstone road
• Recently rehabilitated road to the Kazungula Ferry to link to Botswana, and to Sesheke to connect with the Katima Mulilo Bridge/Transcaprivi Highway as part of the Walvis Bay Corridor.

Features and attractions of Livingstone

livingstone museaum

sunset cruise on the zambezi river in livingstone

{{file:african market.jpg|thumb|modern african market in the town centre]]

devils pool on the edge of victoria falls in livingstone

Livingstone's main places of interest are:

• Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya) which is protected and served by the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park on the city's south-western edge.
• Wildlife safaris (game drives) in the wildlife section of the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park.
• Birdwatching in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park.
• Batoka Gorges below the Falls in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park.
• Zambezi River above the Falls including river cruises, sports fishing, kayaking.
• Victoria Falls Field Museum featuring geology and archaeology around the Falls.
• Flights over the Falls including helicopter and microlight flights.
• Livingstone Museum is devoted to archaeology, ethnography and history and contains a magnificent collection of memorabilia relating to David Livingstone. In front of the museum there is a statue to him, as well as to Czech ethnographer Emil Holub, erected in 2005.
• Maramba Cultural Museum featuring traditional dancing, singing, costumes.
• Mukuni Village with its annual Lwiindi Ceremony in July.
• Victoria Falls Bridge
• Railway Museum of the Mulobezi Railway
• North-Western Hotel — built 1909 by 'Mopane' Clarke (awaiting restoration).
• Saint Andrews Church — built 1910-11 in memory of David Livingstone and still in use.
• The High Court, Livingstone — built in 1910 (awaiting restoration).
• Old Government House, Livingstone — the main government office and governor's residence 1907-1935 when Livingstone was the capital of North-Western Rhodesia and Northern Rhodesia; (awaiting restoration).
• Craft markets such as Mukuni Victoria Falls Craft Village
• Livingstone Golf Course
• Maramba old people's home.A home for the aged who have no one to look after them.
• Government hostels, former Busiku guest house.
• Maramba SDA church,the first SDA church to be opened on the eastern part of Livingstone.
• Maramba Market, the biggest market in Livingstone
• David Livingstone Secondary school
• River side market, just in the heart of maramba compound and the boundary of MAs and Burton Compound

chief mukuni african cultural village

• Many more activities and attractions can be found at Livingstone Tourism Association's website.

External links

• Zambia National Tourist Bureau page