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Maxwell Tapatapa
Herald Reporter
Countries that contributed and pledged resources towards the establishment of the Museum of Africa Liberation in Harare have been thanked as Zimbabwe joins the continent in celebrating Africa Day.

Speaking at the Africa Day celebrations lunch hosted by Institute of African Knowledge (Instak) at the site of the Museum of Africa Liberation yesterday, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Deputy Minister David Musabayana said: “At this juncture, I feel compelled to pay special tribute to the countries that have taken the lead to support establishment of this museum through contributing information, historic documents, oral evidence, and artefacts which will enhance the story telling of our struggles as Africa. Special tribute also goes to those who have made pledges for the construction of this museum.”

Deputy Minister Musabayana made a call for all African countries to guard jealously against insecurities threatening African values and beliefs.

“Let me make a clarion call for all of us to redouble efforts to ensure that we work harder to ‘Silence the Guns’, as consequent instability and insecurity undermine our efforts to preserve our rich cultural heritage and efforts to ensure that arts and culture become essential pillars for sustainable socio-economic development.”

Museum of African Liberation chairperson Professor Simbi Mubako said the museum was to celebrate the great victories that Africa had achieved in independence following the direction of founding fathers of African liberation and African unity.

“Way back in 1958, Kwame Nkrumah said we fight for independence now, tomorrow the United States of Africa. Kwame made the words when most African countries were not independent.

“This is the independence we have achieved and which we are celebrating here by establishing the museum of the African liberation which will be a commemoration forever of those great words of Kwame Nkrumah of independence now. But while celebrating that we would should remember that Kwame Nkrumah had second part of his prophecies, that is the United States of Africa. That we have not achieved yet.

“We have gone a long way in establishing the African Union, Southern African Development Community, East African Community and others which all promote oneness and unity in Africa, but the goal still remains unfulfilled of unity, the totality of the African continent that we should be completely united, so that with Kwame Nkrumah we can repeat words he uttered in 1958.”

Deputy dean of the diplomatic corps Algerian Ambassador Nacerdine Sai said the current generation has a role to play in telling the next generation that the independence of African countries did not come as a gift, but it was fought for and it came as a result of commitment.