‘Nehanda’s skull first before economy’

via ‘Nehanda’s skull first before economy’ – NewsDay Zimbabwe August 13, 2015 by Richard Chidza

THE Zanu PF government cannot concentrate on turning around the economy for now before repatriation of the remains of the country’s First Chimurenga heroes lying in foreign museums, Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo has said.

Commenting on his Twitter account in response to a remark by one of his followers calling on government to concentrate on rebuilding the free-falling economy, Moyo said: “How can we focus on the economy when the skulls of Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi are displayed in a British museum? These barbarians have been displaying the skulls of our First Chimurenga heroes and heroines in their libraries!”

Moyo argued that he saw the economy bouncing back “big time on the back of the irreversible indigenisation and empowerment bedrock”.

Moyo’s tweet came a day after President Robert Mugabe accused Britain of keeping the decapitated skulls of Zimbabwe’s celebrated late 19th century heroes as “war trophies”.

Mugabe was addressing thousands gathered to commemorate Heroes Day at the National Heroes Acre in Harare on Monday.

“Today as we salute these fallen and living heroes for their unyielding tenacity and unflinching courage, we are sadly reminded of the human remains of some of our First Chimurenga heroes and heroines,” Mugabe said, adding his government would pursue the remains with a view to have them repatriated back home.

“The remains, skulls, we strongly believe are the skulls of beheaded heads of Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru Kaguvi, Chingaira Makoni, Chinengundu Mashayamombe, Mapondera, Mashonganyika and Chitekedza Chiwashira among others.”

Mugabe said he found it repugnant that the British after subduing a defenceless people with guns found it necessary to retain the decapitated remains of the leaders of the first insurrection against colonialism.