- Featured
- No Comment
Zimbabwe renews calls for Britain to return of 19th century warriors
By AFP
HARARE: Zimbabwe has renewed calls on Britain to repatriate the remains of 19th century warriors who rose up against colonial rule.
The move is part of mounting pressure on Western countries and museums to return African artefacts and historical pieces plundered during the colonial era by powers such as Belgium, Britain, France and Germany.
“We remind the British government and people that the spirits of our heroes will not rest until their remains are repatriated and interred in a dignified way,” President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Monday.
Mnangagwa made the fresh call during a speech for the burial of independence hero Jaison Chirinda, who died on October 27 aged 82.
He mentioned anti-colonial hero King Lobengula, who was forced into exile, as well as Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi, who were executed by hanging for resisting colonial rule.
“Equally, the remains of our brave warriors such as Chief Chiwashira, Chief Chingaira, Chief Mapondera and Chief Mashayamombe are still held in British museums as trophies, after they were captured and killed in horrific circumstances,” he added.
Zimbabwe believes the remains were taken to the United Kingdom as war trophies and are being used for research at Cambridge University and London’s Natural History Museum.