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Tawanda Matanhire Arts Reporter
The Ministry of Rural Development, Promotion and Preservation of National Culture and Heritage, through one of its parastatals, The National Museums and Monument has established Chimoio Museum as it embarks on a massive exercise to safeguard the country’s liberation heritage. Liberation heritage sites include National and Provincial Heroes acres, battle sites, massacre sites, extra judicial killings as well as dumping sites.

Chimoio is found in Mozambique and was the ZANLA headquarters during the liberation struggle.On November 23, 1977 the Smith Regime attacked the Chimoio ZANLA base killing 1200 people who today lie buried in a mass grave at the place.It is upon this background that the Ministry has decided to come up with a museum that tells the story of Chimoio as ZANLA headquarters and as a place where thousands of Zimbabweans were killed by the white minority government of Ian Smith.

Ministry of Rural Development, Promotion and Preservation of National Culture and Heritage public relations officer Mr Ranson Madzamba said the establishment of the Museum signifies the solidarity of the people of Zimbabwe with their Mozambican counterparts.“The establishment of the Museum signifies the solidarity of the people of Zimbabwe with their Mozambican counterparts. The Mozambicans bore the burden of housing the liberation war fighters hence deserve to be given much respect in as far as the attainment of Zimbabwe’s independence is concerned,” Madzamba said.

“The Museum thus seeks to explore as well as narrate activities at such base camps like, Chaminuka, Parirenyatwa, Takawira and Pasichigare,” he added.The museum also seeks to explore how the Chimoio massacre was planned as well as how it was done.Madzamba said the Ministry has come up with strategies to restore the liberation history of this country.

The Chimoio museum would be full of history on the operations carried out by the ZANLA forces.Madzamba also added that the place would be full of history so that everyone from this world can get access to rich information on the operations that were carried out by ZANLA forces against the white minority government in Zimbabwe.

Chimoio museum shall be officially opened on November 23, this year marking the 39th anniversary of the Chimoio massacre.The Ministry also revealed that work has already started on modalities to establish another similar Museum in Zambia at Freedom Camp were the ZIPRA forces operated from during the liberation struggle.“This is just a way of telling a story that would help lead us to be a better people,” Madzamba said.