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Victor Maphosa-Herald Reporter

The refurbishment of the KwaVaMuzenda Heritage Site has received a major boost following a donation of tiles and roofing material from a Chinese company, Sunny Yi Feng.

KwaVaMuzenda Heritage Site was opened in Masvingo’s oldest suburb of Mucheke to celebrate the life of veteran nationalist and late Vice President Dr Simon Muzenda.

Dr Muzenda died in 2003 and his former residence in Mucheke A suburb during the formative days of black resistance against the racist Rhodesian colonial regime in the late 1950s, was turned into a heritage site after his demise. The late VP’s residence comprises two huts and various other paraphernalia used by the late Soul of the Nation during his stay in Masvingo.

The Government, through the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, designated KwaVaMuzenda a national heritage site in honour of the late Dr Muzenda.

However, the site has been neglected for some time resulting in yesterday’s intervention by Sunny Yi Feng, a Norton-based building materials manufacturing company.

Some of the donated floor and roofing tiles will also be used towards the refurbishment of Trabablas Trail in Masvingo. The donation was handed over to the Friends of Joshua Nkomo Trust in the presence of various Cabinet ministers and senior Government officials.

KwaVaMuzenda Heritage Site was initially built by members of the Friends of Joshua Nkomo Trust which was assisted in setting up the site by Great Zimbabwe University through its department for Culture and Heritage Studies.

Officiating at the hand over of the donation at Sunny Yi Feng premises, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi commended the gesture.

“It is with much sincerity that I would like to thank Sunny Yi Feng and its directors for supporting this project and recognising its importance. KwaVaMuzenda historical site will contribute immensely to the growth and development of Mucheke.

“Preserving the history of a place through its significant historic resources gives a community its unique character and it involves much more than simply saving and restoring old buildings such as R36 Zimuto Street, there are also economic, cultural, environmental and educational benefits of historic preservation, all of which are inextricably connected to one another.

“The relevance of KwaVaMuzenda does not end in Mucheke, it continues and contributes to another great historic act by the Crocodile Gang members, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Matthew Malowa and Trabablas, when they bombed the locomotive at the station after having collected the explosives from Mucheke,” said Minister Ziyambi.

Minister Ziyambi also commended Zanu PF Department of Environment and Tourism for packaging the national history into tourism which in turn attracts local citizens and the outside world to learn and have a deeper understanding of the nation’s liberation struggle through historical tourism.

Sunny Yi Feng assistant director Mr Terrify Taruvinga said his organisation was happy to play a part in the project of refurbishing the KwaVaMuzenda Heritage Site.

“This event solidifies our relationship with our various stakeholders in various areas of specialty. We would want the nation to join hands with us in building Dzimbadzemabwe (Zimbabwe) through the development of this historical monument and production of products to support Vision 2030.”

Friends of Joshua Trust chief executive officer Ms Beverly Pullen also commended Sunny Yi Feng for the donation.

“The historical site was launched in 2016. However, over the years it deteriorated and the stakeholders came back and said this time we are coming in stronger. It is through the refurbishment of KwaVaMuzenda that we met Sunny Yi Feng and said they will support historical tourism and refurbishment of KwaVaMuzenda by donating some of the materials that are needed.”