Online Reporter
Africa Moyo in Kabwe, Zambia
VICE-PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi has described his visit to Zambia to assess the condition of liberation war shrines as a major success, saying it provided clear insight into the improvements needed to preserve the sites. Speaking at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on Wednesday evening as he concluded his tour, VP Mohadi expressed satisfaction with the outcome and praised the hospitality extended by the Zambian authorities.
“What I can only say is that it was a very successful trip; we have been together, you must have realised that,” he said. “And the hospitality that we received was just wonderful in terms of transport. I say thank you very much for that. The sites, yes, they need a little bit of sprucing up. I think there should be more co-ordination between the National Heritage in Zambia and our National Museums and Monuments. They need to make more visits, they need to meet quite often, so that those shrines are kept up to date.”
At all the shrines, Vice-President Mohadi recommended the construction of trafficable roads, the installation of ablution facilities, and the provision of solar-powered boreholes to benefit visitors. Director of the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, Mr Lovemore Mandima, described the visit as an eye-opener.
“Generally, I think the sites are in a fairly good state although I believe we can still do much better if we get the necessary resources. As you might be aware, we have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Heritage Commission of Zambia, and part of the deliverables within this MoU is for us to collectively identify, document, present, and preserve the liberation heritage of Zimbabwe, which is within Zambia.
“What is key to that objective is to make sure that we are both adequately resourced to do so. I want to believe that this visit has also identified areas, which need to be dealt with, the gaps, and we hope that with the necessary support from our principals, we shall be able to collectively, as institutions responsible for managing this heritage, improve on it,” said Mr Mandima.
Zambia’s National Heritage Conservation Commission acting executive director, Mr Kagosi Mwamulowe, emphasised the importance of preserving these sites so they continue to speak to and remind present and future generations of the sacrifices made during the fight for independence.
“When we went to sites like Nampundwe, His Honour the Vice President was concerned about the state of the site and he demanded that both Zimbabwe and Zambia — in this case, the National Monuments and Museums of Zimbabwe and the National Heritage Conservation Commission — should implement their MoU so as to keep the site pleasant,” said Mr Mwamulowe.
On the first day of his trip to Zambia, Vice President Mohadi visited Chilenje House, where the late Zambian founding President Dr Kenneth Kaunda once lived, followed by the residence of the late former Zanu Chairman Herbert Wiltshire Chitepo, also in Chilenje. He then proceeded to Nampundwe and finally to Freedom Camp.
On the second day, Vice President Mohadi paid a courtesy call on Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. The meeting highlighted Zimbabwe’s solidarity with Lusaka when it was mourning former President Edgar Lungu. It also reaffirmed the enduring relationship between the two nations and the need for continued collaboration to develop their economies for the benefit of their citizens.
Following the courtesy call, the delegation travelled to Kabwe, 138km north of Lusaka. The next day, Vice President Mohadi visited Mkushi Girls Training Camp, where over 1 000 Zipra forces were killed in air and ground attacks on 19 October 1978. Zambian police officers and army personnel were also among the casualties.
Extending his tour beyond the scheduled itinerary, Vice-President Mohadi visited defensive positions, foxholes, and the site that once housed the camp’s clinic, keen to assess their current condition. On Thursday, the final day of the tour, he stopped at St Mary’s Cemetery, where 14 of the 15 Zambian policemen killed in the attack were buried. He interacted with two surviving officers, describing them as heroes of Zimbabwe’s liberation war.
He later visited the Mulungushi Liberation War Site, located about 48km northeast of Kabwe. Mulungushi was attacked twice — on 22 December 1978 and 14 April 1979 — resulting in the deaths of approximately 33 freedom fighters. At each shrine, Vice President Mohadi laid wreaths in honour of the fallen and observed a moment of silence.
Interest in the liberation war sites is growing, with more Zimbabweans seeking to learn about the country’s struggle for independence. Next month, a delegation from Teachers4ED is expected to visit the shrines.
After the courtesy call on President Hichilema, the Zambian leader invited the delegation to inform him of any further assistance they might require, having already provided two Zambian Air Force helicopters and a motorcade to facilitate smooth movement.
Vice-President Mohadi was accompanied by Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Reverend Paul Damasane, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Zambia Charity Charamba, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister Dr Omphile Marupi, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Deputy Minister Chido Sanyatwe, Institute of African Knowledge chief executive officer Ambassador Kwame Muzawazi and other senior Government officials.
