CENTRAL Province is a host to some noteworthy sites and events that significantly shaped the liberation struggle of Zambia. One such place is the Mulungushi Rock of Authority and is considered as the birthplace of Zambia's independence.
The name Mulungushi, derived from a prominent river meandering through several districts in the region, which has taken on a symbolic and historical meaning synonymous with the independence and identity of the country.
Considering its acclaimed historic significance, a number of events, locations and buildings have been named after Mulungushi in the country.
The Rock of Authority became famous in 1960 in the then Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia, when nationalists who had broken away from the Zambian African National Congress gathered there to scheme a futuristic direction on how to accelerate the process of Zambia's independence
It is at Mulungushi that the anti-colonial separatists that included the likes of first President Kenneth Kaunda, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, Mainza Chona, Grey Zulu and many others, convened a conference under a new political party, the United National Independence Party (UNIP). 
It’s thanks to Grey Zulu that we can proudly talk of the Mulungushi Rock Of Authority which he discovered as a site suitable for conferences.
This secretive and rather desolate place was preferred to others in the country because it harboured physical features for the nationalists to impeccably dodge the eye of the colonial authorities.
The area was also probably chosen because of its central location, which enabled more members of the new revolutionary party and its sympathisers to move from different parts of the country for the common goal of planning for independence.
Following the attainment of Independence in 1964, MRA became a symbolic site where UNIP held its annual congresses and other party conferences where major policy speeches and statements that controlled the country's socio-political economic direction were made.
The MRA hosted various international and regional meetings aimed at promoting international peace and security in the Southern African region which was then ridden with liberation wars and conflicts.
In fact, a regional club the Mulungushi Club was named after the Rock of Authority.
The Club was composed of three ruling political parties via-a-vis Julius Nyerere of Tanzania's Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia's UNIP and Milton Obote of Uganda's Uganda People's
Congress (UPP)
Congress (UPP)
The African National Congress of South Africa which
was not in power but in exile under the leadership of Oliver Tambo also used to attend the meetings of the Mulungushi Club.
was not in power but in exile under the leadership of Oliver Tambo also used to attend the meetings of the Mulungushi Club.
The Mulungushi Club was however short-lived and from its ashes in 1976 was born the Frontline States
Following the ousting of the UNIP government from power in the 1991 General elections by the MMD
under Frederick Chiluba, the Mulungushi Rock of Authority, just like in the time of the UNIP Government continued playing its role of endorsing party leadership in the country
under Frederick Chiluba, the Mulungushi Rock of Authority, just like in the time of the UNIP Government continued playing its role of endorsing party leadership in the country
Its significance as a political shrine to hold party political conventions was recognized by the MMD. Hence, in July 1995, the MMD held its first convention at Mulungushi Rock of Authority.
From 5th to7th April 2011, the MMD held its convention at the Rock of Authority. At this Convention, Rupiah Banda was elected MMD presidential candidate for the 2011 General
Elections.
Elections.
In July 2011, the Patriotic Party (PF) also held its first ever General Conference at the Rock of Authority in which Michael Sata went through unopposed for the position of Party Presidency and candidate for the September 2011 tripartite elections which he won.
Following President Sata's sudden death in October 2014, it was at the Rock of Authority that the PF held its extra-ordinary General Conference in which Edgar Lungu came out victorious as its President and subsequently won the Presidential by election that took place in 2015,
Mulungushi gives it name to The Mulungushi University, Mulungushi International Conference Centre, Mulungushi Textiles, Mulungushi House in Ndola and also the old Mulungushi Investments among others
Credit: Zambia Daily Mail, Mulungushi University @ZambianFactZone
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