A HARARE man wants the High Court to stop the erection of
the statue of Zimbabwe’s late heroine, Mbuya Nehanda, in the capital, arguing
the government had bypassed traditional rites by not engaging her family.
Felix Elijah Shamuyarira, who claims to be a maternal
relative of Mbuya Charwe, the spirit medium of Mbuya Nehanda, said in court
papers the government was making a grave mistake by going ahead with the statue
before a cleansing ceremony is conducted in the “dirty” city of Harare.
He said the city had to be cleansed of the spirits of a lot
of innocent lives that have been lost in recent years. Work on erecting the
statue started in Harare this month and is expected to be completed in two
months.
Shamuyarira cited
Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe, his Local Government counterpart July
Moyo, National Archives of Zimbabwe director Ivan Murambiwa, National Museums
and Monuments director Godfrey Mahachi and National Assembly Speaker Jacob
Mudenda as respondents in the court case.
Shamuyarira wants Kazembe, Moyo, Murambiwa and Mahachi
interdicted from erecting the statue of Mbuya Charwe, also known as
Nyakasikana, the spirit medium of Mbuya Nehanda, at the intersection of Julius
Nyerere Way and Samora Machel Avenue.
He said the project must be declared unlawful in the
absence of a consent document signed by her four “blood” family members, two
representatives of the spirit medium of Mbuya Nehanda, chiefs Chiweshe and
Hwata and two other individuals.
Shamuyarira questioned why chiefs Hwata and Chiweshe were
not engaged or informed about the statue yet they were responsible for preserving
the traditions of the areas they govern where Charwe originated from.
He said since independence in 1980, the government did not
bother to meet with or appreciate Charwe’s family for the work she had done as
a spirit medium during the liberation struggle.
Shamuyarira said a meeting was called on July 3 in Mazowe
where representatives of Charwe’s maternal and paternal families agreed that
the government had made a mistake by not engaging them, adding “it adds more
injury to a broken heart”.
“The family members and Chief Hwata, together with their
spirit mediums maintain that the government of Zimbabwe and its leadership made
a grave mistake in announcing their mission to the world without first engaging
them on such important, national and historical matters that directly affect
them,” Shamuyarira said.
“The erection of the statue is of great importance as it is
clearly apparent that Charwe did not die a natural death as she was murdered by
the colonial regime of the settler British colonialists.
“As a matter of fact, the Hwata people have since
independence remained secretive as the execution of Charwe traumatises them to
this present day, hence the need of a healing process for them at national
level. According a special day in our calendar to be declared a national
holiday and in her name as already directed and pleaded to our authorities with
due respect, remains necessary,” Shamuyarira argued.
He said sacred mountains where spirit mediums were buried
have been vandalised by illegal miners. Respondents are yet
to file their opposing papers. Daily News
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