Andrew
Sunday Mail Correspondent
LONDON’s Natural History Museum says it has identified remains of 11 of Zimbabwe’s First Chimurenga heroes and heroines, which were shipped to the United Kingdom as war trophies during the early years of colonial occupation.
However, details on their specific identities will be provided at a later stage. The UK has expressed willingness to cooperate with Zimbabwe in repatriating the remains.
Experts from the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe were recently dispatched to the UK to assess a catalogue of skulls believed to be of First Chimurenga martyrs such as Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru Kaguvi, Chief Chinengundu Mashayamombe and Chief Chingaira Makoni.
The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Aaron Nhepera, told The Sunday Mail that the team in the UK is working on identifying more remains.
The Government has since established an all-stakeholders committee to work out the logistics of the repatriation.
“A team of experts, led by the executive director (of the) National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, Dr (Godfrey) Mahachi, is currently on its second mission to the United Kingdom for that purpose,” he said.
“It is true that human remains of Zimbabwean origin have been identified in British institutions.
“The Dr Mahachi-led team is not just in the United Kingdom to prepare for the repatriation of these remains but to try and identify more.”
The Government, said Mr Nhepera, will spare no effort in ensuring successful repatriation of the remains.
“Government takes the repatriation exercise very seriously as it is dear to the hearts of Zimbabweans.
“It brings closure to families of our national heroes and heroines, whose relatives were brutally murdered by the settler regime. It also restores historical dignity to the nation,” he said.
ZANU PF Secretary for War Veterans League, Cde Douglas Mahiya, said the UK’s co-operation in the identification and repatriation of the remains was welcome.
“They are now laying bare their sins; we now have evidence of what they did. But we are glad they are now cooperating, and that co-operation will go a long way,” he said.
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