Zanu-PF demands heroes' remains from Britain

ZANU-PF is demanding the return of heads of the country's heroes and heroines who were beheaded during the First Chimurenga for decent burials from Britain.

This comes as the country is presently erecting a statue for First Chimurenga war heroine Mbuya Nehanda in Harare's central business district (CBD) as part of the Second Republic's thrust to honour and immortalise the memory of its national heroes and heroines.

Addressing a Press conference yesterday, Zanu-PF spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa said the "continuing retention in British museums of the heads of heroes and heroines of the First Chimurenga remains for Zimbabwe an act of shame and indignation and humiliation which can only be mitigated through immediate repatriation of the heads to Zimbabwe so that they are properly laid to rest and are united in spirit with their kith and kin".

"Zanu-PF is therefore demanding the immediate repatriation of the human heads to Zimbabwe. We call upon the British people to do one decent thing in their long colonial history by heeding this call for repatriation," said Chinamasa.

During the First Chimurenga, the British colonialist beheaded some of the country's foremost freedom fighters who had challenged colonialism through an armed uprising.

The heads of the likes of Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru Kaguvi, Chief Mashayamombe Chinengundu, Chief Makoni Chingaira, Mapondera, Mashonaganyika, Mutekedza Chiwashira and 25 others were taken to Britain as war trophies.

Chinamasa added that illegal sanctions that have been imposed on the country by Britain and her allies as well as the continued maligning of the President and the First Family on social media platforms are the equivalent of the beheading of the First Chimurenga heroes as the country's erstwhile colonisers still aspire to loot the country's resources.

"The enemy goes after the scalp of our leader first and they hope that once he has fallen and is discredited, the country's resources will be ready for the picking and neo-colonial exploitation. "Sanctions against Zimbabwe and the orchestrated social media onslaught against our President and the First Family are the modern equivalents of public beheading and lynching in colonial times," he said.

Chinamasa urged Zimbabweans to remain steadfast and continue marching solidly behind President Mnangagwa towards the attainment of Vision 2030 of becoming an upper middle class economy.

The unresolved issue of the heads of the country's heroes and heroines, said Chinamasa, should be an eye opener to so-called human rights activists and those in the opposition who view the West as doyens of democracy and human rights as those countries have blood of innocent people on their hands.

"Zimbabweans should never have short memories and permit a situation where cap in hand they go to imperialists, colonialists and neo-colonialists for lessons on human rights. As do any black persons who live in their countries. They will tell you frankly that they are not accorded any basic human rights nor are they given any respect as human beings. As Zimbabweans, as Africans, as human beings we should not be too forgiving, readily forgetful of the wrongs and evils perpetrated against us as a people".