adminWalter Nyamukondiwa
Kariba Bureau
Government has directed that the National Museums and Monuments board should ensure that the country’s liberation heritage sites are marked and protected including those in other countries such as Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia.
To that end, a Cultural Centre is set to be established in Dar es Salam in Tanzania at the former Herbert Chitepo House in honour of the late liberation hero Cde Herbert Chitepo and Tanzania’s support during that period.
A similar centre is also expected to be established in Angola.
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe made the revelation in a speech read on his behalf by Deputy Minister Mavhunga Mabhoyi at an induction workshop for the National Museums and Monuments board induction workshop in Kariba recently.
“More recently, Government has directed that National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe establishes a Cultural Centre in Dar es Salam at the former Herbert Chitepo house to showcase the role of the late Cde Herbert Chitepo in the liberation struggle as well as Tanzania’s unwavering support to Zimbabwe’s liberation cause,” he said.
“The same request has been received for National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe to start work in Angola.”
Preservation of colonial and liberation experiences have been identified as key in shaping and defining the present and future character of the nation.
Minister Kazembe said the board’s challenge was to position the country’s heritage and cultural achievements on the world stage.
“For example, if we do not have monuments and places that represent our collective memory of the colonial and liberation experience, it is more than certain that as a nation, we run the risk of gradually losing that recollection which should in essence define the framework within which we determine the present and future character of our nation,” he said.
“As a Ministry we therefore expect that most if not all of our liberation heritage sites should be marked and protected to ensure that they fully become part of that collective memory.”
He implored the board to reconfigure the NMMZ to fully implement its expanded role which includes establishment of district heroes acres and sprucing up provincial acres.
Work is also underway at key sites in Mozambique and Zambia among others.
He challenged the board to prioritise the finalisation of the amendment of the National Museums and Monuments Act and the Policy of exhumation and reburial of victims of the liberation struggle.
The board, he said, should come up strategies to mobilise financial resources, promote staff development and skills retention.
Board chairperson Brigadier-General (Rtd) Walter Kanhanga said good corporate governance should be upheld if NMMZ was to make any meaningful impact on the economy and the public.
“It is therefore necessary in line with the principles of efficiency and productivity that public entities are managed without causing burden to the public,” said Brig-Gen Kanhanga.
“One of the most important conditions to make this happen is to have these (public) enterprises operate in accordance with the principles of good corporate governance.”
Management, he said, should adapt to higher levels of competitiveness through assimilating transparency, accountability and responsibility into their corporate culture.
Online Reporter