One of the pioneers of Zimbabwe’s First Chimurenga (liberation struggle), Nehanda Charwe Nyakasikana – popularly known as Mbuya Nehanda – will be honoured with a statue in Harare before the end of the year.
Nehanda was a powerful spirit medium and heroine of the 1896-87 war against British settler colonialism. She was hanged by the British settlers in 1898.
According to the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, the statue is a reminder that local forefathers resisted colonial conquest and is, therefore, a national celebration of her courage and those who worked with her in a bid to defeat colonial occupation.
Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, said: “The Mbuya Nehanda Memorial Statue is 70% complete. It will be mounted once the base structure is complete.”
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Head of Corporate Affairs, Godfrey Koti, commented: “We are delighted with the erection of the statue of the great Mbuya Nehanda. It creates packages for us to sell. Packages to represent Zimbabwe’s story clearly and articulate it to the tourists that come into Zimbabwe.”
Other liberation struggle-related tourist attractions include National Heroes Acre in Harare, the statue of former Vice President, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo in Bulawayo, and Gonakudzingwa National Monument in Chiredzi.
