Sundaymail Editor
Zimbabwe Ambassador to Zambia Ms Gertrude Takawira has called on Government to speed up the signing of an MOU between the two countries to allow for the proper maintenance of the liberation war shrines scattered in various parts of Zambia.
From Emilia Zindi in Lusaka, Zambia
The shrines include Freedom Camp, Nampundwa, Mkushi, Kavalamanja and Mulungushi, where thousands of Zimbabwean freedom fighters perished after bombardments by the Rhodesian forces during the liberation struggle.
In an interview from her Lusaka base last Thursday, Ambassador Takawira said these five shrines were basically in various parts of Zambia but there were people there who were looking after these not because they were being paid but from their own will.
“In fact, there is a Zambian broadcaster, Aleck Nkanta, who retired in the 1960s and was living on his farm and was killed during the bombing by the Rhodesian soldiers. So the significance of these shrines is that it is real. It is something that we see and that is not in the past.
“We would want to see that coming into the mainstream, so that when we budget for social and economic planning, these shrines are taken care of in an organised manner and the first step will be to sign an MOU between the Zimbabwean and Zambian governments.
“In fact, this has been in the pipeline for quite some time. There has been some communication between the two countries and the mission here really will be happy to see this formalised.
“Not only will this help in the maintenance of the shrines but also bring the status of the shrines to a national level so that both countries can budget for these at the national level,” she said.
She said right now because of the informal arrangement and the fact that the shrines were on private farms owned by individuals, Zimbabweans could soon find it difficult to access the shrines.
“For instance, at Freedom Camp there is the new owner of the farm who might not even want to hear of it any time from now. So if an MOU is signed, the accessibility and maintenance should be easier,” she said.
She said the mission had also been looking at the significance of the shrines in line with the new Ministry of War Veterans headed by Cde Chris Mutsvangwa.
The shrines are also a source of healing as well as identity of the people and the nation at large. They are also a source of unity.
“This is where in the 60s, whether it was Zanu or Zapu, all cadres had to pass through Zambia even those who went to Mozambique they actually passed through Zambia. The significance of Zambia cannot be looked at anyway different than any role of veterans to this day. We also think it is a source of peace when you see how many people died for this country, Zimbabwe, it should give you a second thought if you are going to kill a neighbour or harm anybody, it should give you that sense of, ‘let’s opt for peace rather than war’.
She urged Zimbabwe to celebrate 35 years of independence as a united front as this was a reminder of where the country came from.
“For us in Zambia it is significant as Zambia played an important role not just for us but the region so celebrating Independence in Zambia is a happy occasion and it is, in fact, an honour to be here to celebrate with those that assisted us in being independent,” she said.
On the current xenophobia in South Africa, she said it was very unfortunate and very sad that the region was witnessing that in a region that people sacrificed for each other.
” It is even more sad to even think that it is even black against black. We are not hearing that a white man has been killed in these events but it is black on black. It is a very unfortunate. But l would like to believe that those that will or are masterminding that are people who never experienced what we have been elaborating on, the solidarity and sacrifice that went on.
“I would like to believe that the majority of South Africans understand the solidarity between our countries within the region but a few pockets of people that never really sacrificed for South Africa itself do not mind to see another person, in other words they see their country as an economic place but we see South Africa as a sister, as a pan-African that is why we have such institutions like the pan-African parliament and Nepad being there. It is the vision for Africa so it is unfortunate that other people see South Africa as an economic destination and, therefore, l think once people realign their thinking that we are one, South Africa itself cannot exist without other countries and this is not the first time foreigners have gone to South Africa.
“We had the Wenera arrangements way back in the 60s. The goldmine themselves were foreigners were being shipped from Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. This whole thing of thinking that South Africa can survive in isolation is very myopic.
“Zimbabwe still has scars. We know of people that were killed during raids by South Africa on ANC and PAC targets and we have the likes of Tsitsi Chiliza dying, she was a Zimbabwean sister to Dambudzo Marechera. She was married to a South African who was a South African cadre and she died after their flat was bombed,” she said.
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