Matobo must be more than a moment

When a nation gathers to commemorate its Independence, the choice of place carries meaning beyond the day itself. It becomes a reflection of history, identity, and perhaps intention.

This year, that moment meets Matobo District.

To many, Matobo is known for its striking granite hills and global recognition as a heritage site. But to the people of Matabeleland, it is far more than landscape. It is sacred ground. It is memory. It is identity.

It is a place that carries both visible and invisible histories. Matobo and the wider Kezi area are deeply connected to the legacy of the late Vice President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo — Father Zimbabwe — whose life and leadership were rooted in this region. His vision of a united nation, grounded in dignity and shared purpose, remains relevant today.

To speak of Matobo, therefore, is to engage not only with geography but with legacy.

For some of us, that legacy is personal as well.

My late father, who passed away in October last year, was born in Kezi, St Joseph’s. He attended Nyumbane Primary School and later Hope Fountain for his secondary education. A hero by every standard, his life reflected both the resilience and the disruptions experienced by many Zimbabwean families over time.

For me, Matobo is more than a place. It holds history that calls us to untie ourselves from the bondage of the past, while at the same time anchoring us to the invisible threads that define who we are.

That is why this moment matters.

Beyond Recognition

For many in Matabeleland, there have been moments of feeling unseen or overlooked. These sentiments are part of our national story, whether spoken loudly or carried quietly.

Hosting Independence in Matobo, therefore, can be received as recognition.

An Opportunity for Opening Doors

National events bring life. Movement increases. Local businesses experience activity. Communities become visible.

But we must ask a deeper question:

Can this moment open doors? Can Matobo become more than a place we visit once a year? Can it become a sustained centre for tourism, local enterprise and cultural education?

Across the world, communities have learned to treat heritage not only as memory, but as opportunity. Historic sites are linked to schools, supported by media, strengthened by local businesses, and sustained through coordinated effort.

Zimbabwe has the history. It has the culture. It has the people.

What it must now build is connection.

The Role of Community

Development is not the responsibility of one institution alone. Communities, leaders, educators, businesses and media all play a role. In Matabeleland, this moment invites us to shift gently but intentionally: From waiting to participating, from observing to contributing, from frustration to building.

This does not dismiss the past.

It honours it by choosing a different response.

A Call for Collaboration

If Matobo is to become a beginning rather than a moment, then collaboration must follow. Local enterprises must be supported beyond the event. Stories of the region must continue to be told. Young people must learn the value of their heritage. Institutions must work together, not separately. And importantly, there must be accountability.

After the celebrations, we must ask:

What has been sustained? What has improved? What has opened?

Choosing to Build

It is easy to criticise, but progress requires something more. It requires the courage to build, even when the foundation feels incomplete.

Choosing Matobo is a step in the right direction. Matobo does not need to prove its value – its history already speaks. What remains is for us — as Zimbabweans, as communities, as custodians of culture — to decide what we will do with this moment.

We are all ambassadors of our history.

We are all responsible for what comes next.

Let Matobo not be remembered only as a venue; let it be remembered as a beginning.

*Alphina Ndlovu is a researcher and financial strategist currently pursuing a PhD in Business & Management, focusing on SME ecosystem development and diaspora institutional engagement.