Govt, SA varsity in talks over war documents

Zimbabweans to have full knowledge of how the liberation war was fought and won.
Speaking to journalists from various media houses on the sidelines of the International Museums’ Day commemorations in Gweru last week, Co-Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi said there were some important liberation war documents that the Ian Smith regime took to Rhodes University soon after the liberation war that needed to be repatriated.
He said the Government was in talks with authorities at Rhodes University to have those documents brought back home.
Minister Mohadi said plans were also underway to engage the country’s former colonisers to have some of the cultural artifacts that were smuggled out of the country returned and be kept in the country’s museums.
“It’s a fact that there are some very important documents that are being kept at the Rhodes University and some cultural artifacts that were taken to the United Kingdom by the Smith regime soon after the war. Although we might not be aware of the exact contents of those documents, we are very much aware that they have important information that will help us as a nation to have a true reflection of our liberation history,” he said.
Minister Mohadi said the documents were an important source of the country’s history and need to be kept in the country’s museums.
“We are making some progressive talks with the Rhodes University to have these documents so that we can keep them in our museums. The information contained in the documents will go a long way in equipping our museums with detailed information that will tell the true Zimbabwean story,” he said.
Minister Mohadi said there was also a need for the country to invest in community museums so as to unearth the history and diverse forms of culture that exist in the country.
“What we also believe is that many cultural objects are in our communities and are yet to be discovered. We need to invest in community museums and engage the communities so that our museums do not solely rely on scientific means of gathering information,” he said.
Minister Mohadi said there was also a need to train skilled personnel so as to equip the museums with experienced staff that are competent enough to gather relevant information.
“The 21st century museum should be a one stop where people seeking to get information and the history of our country should rely on.”