VIDEO: Govt happy with Old Byo reconstruction

Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor

The Government is happy with the progress in the reconstruction of the Old Bulawayo National Monument which was gutted by a veld fire 11 years ago.

This comes as the government has set its target of completing 60 percent of the rehabilitation works by end of the year.

Speaking after touring the facility, to assess progress in the reconstruction works, on Wednesday, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said he was pleased that road leading up to the site had been rehabilitated.

He said their goal was to ensure that the facility was eventually restored.

“We believe this place has great tourism potential and it also tells a big story about our heritage, so we are taking it seriously just to make sure that there is progress here. We have been here several times; we have our own set targets just to make sure that this iconic monument is restored.

“Some changes have taken place, the road has been done well, it was very bad, the last time I came here I took longer from the turn which is about seven kilometers to get here. I am told some local miners also contributed in fixing the road and other institutions have contributed in terms of the needed resources,” said Minister Ndlovu.

Giving a post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Honorable Monica Mutsvangwa revealed that Old Bulawayo will be constructed to 60 percent, noting that already the access road to the monument was graded and is now passable.

Old Bulawayo was built by King Lobengula in 1870 and was burnt down in 1881 in protest against invasion by white colonialists.

One of the king’s indunas, Magwegwe Fuyana led the process of burning down the capital after which Lobengula and his people moved northwards to the present-day State House at Sauerstown in Bulawayo.

The restoration of King Lobengula’s capital was mooted in 1993 in the run-up to Bulawayo’s centenary celebrations and work was completed in 1997 with the help of royal experts from KwaZulu Natal Province in South Africa.

King Lobengula was the last king of the Ndebele and his monarchy collapsed in 1894 after it was raided by white settlers marking complete colonisation of present day Zimbabwe.