The United Nations and most of the world considers Lozi to be part of the Republic of South Africa, which in turn asserts Lozi's political independence. Only a number of other states afford the country recognition, including South Africa, Mozambique, and the UNITA government of Angola. Lozi is a member of the Union of South African States, which is alleged to merely be a front for South Africa's "international" relations with its homeland puppet states. Regardless of its international stance, Lozi has established a functional government and, recently in 2009, an autonomous military - the Lozi Territorial Force. Peter Mamili has been the head of state and head of government (known as the Executive Council Chairman) of Lozi since 1995, and is affiliated with the Caprivi Democratic Party (CDP