Online Reporter
Africa Moyo in LUSAKA, Zambia
VICE PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi is expected to visit five shrines of liberation war heroes here to assess their state, as part of the Second Republic’s broader efforts to preserve the legacy of the country’s liberation struggle by restoring and maintaining sites of national historical importance within and outside Zimbabwe.
VP Mohadi arrived yesterday and was received by Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Reverend Paul Damasane, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Zambia Mrs Charity Charamba and other senior Government officials.
He is accompanied by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister Dr Omphile Marupi and Institute of African Knowledge (INSTAK) chief executive officer Ambassador Kwame Muzawazi.
VP Mohadi was in Angola a fortnight ago on the same mission, where he visited shrines such as the Boma Mass Grave in Luena, Moxico province, where over 300 ZIPRA fighters were buried after the February 26, 1979 bombings.
He also met traditional leaders and locals in Luena.
Today, the VP is expected to visit the former house of the late nationalist and ZANU chairman, Cde Herbert Chitepo, as well as the house in which Zambia’s founding president Dr Kenneth Kaunda lived in Chilenje, Lusaka, which has since been turned into a museum.
He is also expected to visit the Nampundwe Shrine and Freedom Camp.
In an interview soon after arrival, VP Mohadi said: “Well, I think you will recall that last week I was in Angola, and I was visiting our shrines, where quite a number of our comrades perished, and we are doing the same here. We will be visiting quite a number of sites here — I think five of them — where our cadres or freedom fighters perished. The reason why I am coming here is that we want to see the state of the shrines themselves.”
Most of the shrines in Zambia, such as Nampundwe, Mkushi, Freedom Camp, Mulungushi, Kavalamanja, which is near the Kanyemba Border Post, are already built but lack vital facilities such as ablutions, access roads and potable water.
VP Mohadi said he brought with him officials from the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe to see how best the shrines can be improved, while Ambassador Muzawazi of INSTAK is keen to know what really transpired 47 years or so ago.
INSTAK is a Pan-African organisation collaborating with the Government on the Museum of African Liberation project, which aims to be a multi-country facility showcasing Africa’s diverse liberation history and preserving the continent’s cultural heritage.
Freedom Camp was the main camp for ZIPRA in Zambia.
It also acted as a transit camp for various groups. Also known as Westland Farm, it is located about 20km north of Lusaka.
It was attacked on the morning of October 19, 1978.Over 400 freedom fighters died as a result of the attack.
The Nampundwe Liberation War Shrine is located 32km west of Lusaka, within Mtondo Farm, which is privately owned.
It acted as a reception or transit camp for all ZIPRA cadres who were joining the struggle.
VP Mohadi, who is head of Government’s Social Services Cluster, under which the preservation of shrines falls, is also expected to visit the Mulungushi Camp, about 50km north-east of Kabwe; Mkushi Girls Camp, which is about 126km east of Kabwe; and the St Mary’s Cemetery in Kabwe town.
The St Mary’s Cemetery is where 14 of the 15 Zambian police officers were ambushed and killed by Rhodesian Security Forces in November 1978 while rescuing girls that had been attacked by air and ground raids at Mkushi.
The other police officer was buried in his home area.
Two of the 45 surviving police officers — Mr Alex Ostern Shimambo, 72, and Mr Ignatius Katemba, 69 — are still alive.
VP Mohadi’s visit comes as the Government has intensified efforts to document, rehabilitate and promote liberation heritage sites.
