by Felix Kunda, Zambia, January 1998
THEME = MINORITIES
Mr Majid Ticklay (59) is an alien among
his own children,
being the only person in his own family
who is not Zambian. His three sons and one daughter
are Zambians by birth, likewise his brother.
So, how come Majid Ticklay is in such a predicament?
Mr Ticklay's story started with his father, the late Mohammed Hussein Ticklay, who emigrated from India in 1938 to set up business in Zambia, then called Northern Rhodesia. He stayed long enough in Zambia to establish himself and then returned to India to get his family. This was in 1946. The young Majid Ticklay accompanied his father back to Zambia at the age of eight. Since then he has lived in Zambia.
His father had opened two retail shops in Monze and Kaleya (in Zambia's southern province). These shops were especially helpful to the local African population, at a time when non-whites were not allowed to buy from certain shops because of existing apartheid practices. For his services, Mohammed Ticklay was appointed the first non-white town councillor in Mazabuka. He served on the council for ten years.
Citizenship problems - Zambia became independent on 24 October 1964. The Constitution stated that all British living in the new country were to be considered citizens of that country, unless they chose not to be. Indians, too, were included in this specification. But then the government decreed that Indians had to apply for citizenship, and in 1968, their applications to become Zambians were turned down.
About the same time, Zambia was going through a period of economic reforms and a decree was enacted prohibiting non- Zambians from owning and operating retail shops. Shop-owners who were thus affected, became destitute overnight.
But the Ticklay family did not sit idle and mourn over spilled milk. Instead, two years on, they established other retail businesses and registered them in the name of Majid Ticklay's brother who was born in the country after independence, and therefore a Zambian by birth.
By 1985, Majid Ticklay has assumed his father's mantle as head of the family business in Zambia. But tragedy was to strike. Armed robbers attacked his house in Lusaka during the night and killed four family members. Although seriously injured, his wife survived the attack and lived on for a further two years.
Public service - Obviously, Ticklay was deeply affected by these events, and so when he was approached by the Makeni Neighbourhood Watch to join them, he didn't need much persuading. He gave all his spare time supporting this organisation, even using his own car for patrolling the area against robbers. Eventually he was asked to become chairman of his local Neighbourhood Watch, and he accepted this as a challenge to assist the residents of Makeni in fighting crime and as a means of serving his local community.
Ticklay's participation in public life has increased. He is a committee member of the Lusaka Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Lusaka Rotary Club and is active in community work.
With this background, it's little wonder that the people of Chawama constituency chose Ticklay as their candidate for parliament, not knowing that in spite of all his activities in social work and living in the country for 51 years, he still was not a Zambian.
Applying for citizenship - In November 1994, Majid Ticklay reapplied (the second time) for Zambian citizenship, hoping that his application would be received favourably in time to stand for election in the 1996 elections. Nothing happened, and in April 1997 he was notified by the Home Affairs Minister that his request for citizenship had been refused.
But Mr Ticklay remains undeterred. He says that Zambia is "home". His father died at the age of 80, and is buried in Mazabuka. Mr Majid Ticklay is determined that he, too, will die in his country of adoption. He loves Zambia and its people and this gives him strength to assist the underprivileged. He feels that the Zambian government, in denying him Zambian citizenship, is denying him his basic human rights.
Mr Ticklay currently holds a British Overseas Passport and therefore, he is neither British, Indian or Zambian. To all intents and purposes, he is stateless.
His legal situation is as follows: According to Zambia's Constitution, anyone domiciled in Zambia for ten years, can apply for Zambian citizenship. Mr Ticklay has applied, his application has been refused, but the government has failed to provide him with reasons for this refusal.
Or is there a political motive? Could it be that Majid Ticklay is considered by the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) government to be a threat to sitting Chawama Member of Parliament, General Christon Tembo, who is Zambia's Vice-President?
Despite being extremely popular in Zambia, Majid Ticklay remains an alien among his own people.
END
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