The Government
is now finalising preliminary arrangements for the return of the remains,
marking a major milestone in the country’s efforts to restore the dignity of
its early liberation heroes.
A high-level
inter-ministerial committee comprising the Ministries of Home Affairs and
Cultural Heritage; Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion; and
Local Government and Public Works has been established to oversee the process.
Its mandate
includes coordinating the repatriation process, mobilising resources and
ensuring broad stakeholder consultation.
The committee
recently convened a meeting with traditional leaders and descendants of the
fallen heroes to agree on appropriate cultural protocols and begin mobilising
funding for the historic operation.
At the same
time, plans are underway to construct a high-tech storage facility for the
remains.
The facility
will ensure that the remains are preserved in optimal condition upon their
return to Zimbabwe, which is an important step given their historical
significance and the need for respectful, long-term conservation.
To date, at
least 11 sets of remains have been confirmed to be housed at the Natural
History Museum in London.
Two more are
reportedly held at the Duckworth Laboratory, at the University of Cambridge,
and at an unidentified institution in Switzerland.
The British
museum has since agreed to hand over the 11 remains in its possession, which
were taken to Europe following the Matabele uprisings and the First Chimurenga
in the 1890s.
There are also
new revelations that another set of remains, believed to be of Zimbabwean
heroes, has been identified in South Africa.
The authorities
are now working to verify their identity as part of a broader regional effort
to retrieve all remains linked to Zimbabwe’s early resistance movements.
The development
comes as Zimbabwe prepares to commemorate Heroes Day tomorrow, a national
holiday that honours those who sacrificed their lives for the country’s
liberation and post-independence development.
In an interview
with The Sunday Mail, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Ambassador
Raphael Faranisi said the repatriation process had entered its first phase.
“We have
started the first phase of the process, which we hope will be done in the
shortest time possible,” said Amb Faranisi.
“Recently, we
met to discuss resource mobilisation and the construction of a storage facility
that will help preserve the remains once repatriated.
“There will
also be a formal programme for the repatriation, which will be presented to the
relevant authorities for approval.
“We have
consulted with traditional leaders and descendants to ensure the process
respects cultural and historical sensitivities.”
He added that
efforts were also underway to begin the identification of remains recently
discovered in South Africa.
“All this will
be done within the shortest time possible, and once completed, we will submit
the recommendations to Cabinet for further guidance,” he said.
A senior
official from the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ), who spoke
on condition of anonymity, confirmed that formal repatriations can now begin
following approval from most of the holding museums.
“We met two
weeks ago with representatives from the Ministries of Finance and Local
Government,” the official said.
“The meeting
was also attended by traditional leaders and descendants of the war heroes.
“We have now
received confirmation from the UK museums that we may take back the remains.
“The next stage
involves finalising the budget and timeline for the repatriation process.”
The remains,
believed to be of First Chimurenga war heroes, were shipped as war trophies to
Europe during the early colonial years.
Some of the
skulls are understood to belong to early leaders of the struggle against
colonialism, including Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru Kaguvi, Chief Chinengundu
Mashayamombe and Chief Makoni Chingaira. Sunday Mail
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