By Flata Kavinga
City of Kwekwe Ward 7 Cllr Kudakwashe Gwamuri has petitioned Parliament to consider the removal of the remains of Cecil John Rhodes from the Matopos/Matobo Hills, arguing that their continued presence at the site raises questions about Zimbabwe’s cultural and spiritual sovereignty.
The petition, submitted by Kwekwe resident Gwamuri, calls on Parliament to investigate the historical, cultural and legal circumstances surrounding Rhodes’ burial at the Matopos and consider whether his continued presence there is compatible with the protection of indigenous heritage.
Speaking in an interview, Cllr Gwamuri said the petition was intended to open a national discussion on the status of Rhodes’ grave at a site regarded as having deep spiritual and cultural significance.
“This is not about hatred or disrespect for the dead. It is about how we, as Zimbabweans, preserve and protect our sacred spaces and how we interpret our history after independence,” he said.
Rhodes, a British businessman and politician who played a significant role in British imperial expansion in southern Africa, was buried at World’s View in the Matopos in 1902.
Gwamuri said the petition was seeking a parliamentary process that would allow traditional leaders, heritage experts, historians and communities connected to the Matobo landscape to express their views on the matter.
The petition asks Parliament to refer the issue to the relevant portfolio committee, conduct public consultations and investigate the legal and administrative framework governing Rhodes’ grave.
It also calls for consultations with traditional leaders and custodians of the Matobo cultural and spiritual heritage before any decision is made.
Gwamuri said removing Rhodes’ remains, if Parliament eventually supported the proposal, would not amount to erasing Zimbabwe’s colonial history.
“History must be preserved and taught but there is a distinction between remembering history and preserving the physical remains of a person at a sacred indigenous site,” he said.
The petition proposes that, should relocation be approved, it should be carried out lawfully and respectfully, with the involvement of relevant traditional authorities, heritage institutions and descendants where appropriate.
It further asks Parliament to consider whether additional legislative or policy measures are necessary to strengthen the protection of indigenous sacred sites.
The petition argues that the Matopos/Matobo Hills predate colonial rule and hold cultural and spiritual significance for indigenous communities.
However, any decision concerning the removal of human remains from a protected heritage site would involve legal, cultural, historical and conservation considerations, which the petition itself asks Parliament to examine.
Gwamuri said the issue should therefore be handled through consultation and established parliamentary and heritage processes rather than confrontation.
The petition concludes by asking Parliament to investigate the matter and if it finds relocation justified, facilitate the respectful removal and relocation of Rhodes’ remains.
