Museum of African Liberation: Un-ringing the colonial bell

LAST WEEK, I had the pleasure of touring the Museum of African Liberation in Warren Park, Harare.

DURING the tour of the expansive site dubbed Liberation City, I was amazed at the sheer amount of work done. Truly remarkable!

Upon touring the site, I had quite the epiphany.

It really dawned on me how we, for many years, had missed the opportunity to capture and tell our true story.

It seems for many decades, or even centuries, there was a reluctance by Africans to take ownership of and tell their own history.

But that appears to be changing now.

The museum presents the perfect opportunity to present our own history the way we experienced it, firsthand.

The Museum of African Liberation is one of the most ambitious projects by the emerging Pan-African think tank, the Institute of African Knowledge.

Establishment of the museum is a priority project that has the support of His Excellency, President Mnangagwa, and the Government of Zimbabwe.

To ensure that it is a success, the

Government allocated a 100-hectare piece of land for the project, which President Mnangagwa commissioned for this purpose at a groundbreaking ceremony on December 4, 2020.

The story of Africa’s liberation needs to be told by those who partook in this brave and historical feat.

To that end, it is envisaged that for each country, there will be a section of the museum devoted to its liberation war history.

So, in essence, the museum will house the stories of other countries’ sacrifices and histories.

Inevitably, the museum will thus feature the histories of ZANU PF, FRELIMO, SWAPO and MPLA, as well as other prominent liberation movements that were instrumental in bringing about independence on the continent.

The historical and inspiring exhibitions that will be featured include the massacres at Wiriamu, Maseru and Cassinga, the epic battle of Cuito Cunavale and Gorongoza, the great victories of the Mau Mau uprisings of Kenya and the unforgettable heroic victory of the Ethiopians over Italians at Adwa in Ethiopia.

Additionally, a key section of the museum will also be dedicated to the 14 founding fathers of the African liberation history.

On top of exhibiting Africa’s liberation history, it will enable researchers to appreciate the seamlessness of the African struggle for freedom and the indomitable spirit for liberty, even against the most powerful oppressor.

Indeed, the story of African liberation cannot be fully told without bringing to light the importance of national unity, as well as Pan-African solidarity.

Clearly, the whole intention behind the Museum of African Liberation is to immortalise one of the most important aspects of modern African history, which is Africa’s liberation endeavours.

The museum is a unique opportunity for educational and cultural diplomatic cooperation by all these countries that fought to win their freedom, be it through military or diplomatic means, or even a mixture of both.

A vital portion of their history will be recorded and archived in the museum.

For us Africans, as well as everyone else across the world, the museum gives a first-hand experience and a front-row seat in learning about the history and struggle by our people in their quest to liberate themselves from colonial subjugation.

The museum is so unique that it is probably the first of its kind, as all the countries that are part of it will provide the historical material, weapons, battles, losses and victories experienced during the struggle.

This collection will undoubtedly be unmatched. What this project seeks to do is to foster a sense of pride and taking ownership of the collective memory and history, as well as achievements of the people of Zimbabwe and those of other African countries in the fight against colonialism and subjugation.

The museum will unpack the rich tangible and intangible heritage created by the sacrifices and commitment of freedom fighters, communities, institutions and individuals to the liberation of Zimbabwe.

The liberation wars waged across Africa are part of that story. Such a rich and crucial history should never be allowed to remain dormant any longer.

The coming generations need to have a deep appreciation of how events happened in the past.

This is the cornerstone upon which the foundation of a rich and prosperous Africa will be laid.

Without fully grasping our history, we can never achieve total emancipation. If we do not see the value of taking ownership of our own story, then we might as well forget about the whole concept of self-determination.

It is time that the ideals of Pan-Africanism are finally brought to life through concrete and tangible works such as the Museum of African Liberation.

◆ Dr Obert Moses Mpofu is an academic and the Secretary-General of ZANU PF. He writes in his own capacity.

The whole intention behind the Museum of African Liberation is to immortalise one of the most important aspects of modern African history, which is Africa’s liberation endeavours . . . a unique opportunity for educational and cultural diplomatic cooperation by all these countries that fought to win their freedom