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British colonialist Cecil Rhodes’s grave haunts Zimbabweans

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BY GARSENDE RAMBOURG

MATOPOS – It’s a sacred hill where for centuries Zimbabweans would go to consult their ancestors.

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It’s also where the notorious British coloniser Cecil John Rhodes chose to be his final resting place.

The white supremacist died more than 120 years ago in South Africa aged 48 after carving out swathes of territory for the British empire.

Part of the land grab, later named Rhodesia in his honour, included modern Zambia and Zimbabwe.

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Nestled in the Matobo National Park, his grave is simple, with “Here lie the remains of Cecil John Rhodes” engraved on it.

Part of the younger generation wants his remains removed to rid the country of the last vestiges of colonialism.

But the grave attracts tourists who bring much-needed income for surrounding villages — and many local people oppose any exhumation.

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Located atop a steep hill immersed in lush vegetation, a short climb is necessary to reach the grave, which is surrounded by imposing rocks rounded by erosion.

The stones are covered in light green aniseed and orange lichens that brighten at the slightest touch of the sun.

From the hilltop, visitors gaze at the vast expanse of trees around, where antelopes and warthogs roam.

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Clouds roll across the tranquil horizon while birds chirp in the silence.

In neighbouring South Africa, students at the University of Cape Town launched a “Rhodes-Must-Fall” protest in 2015, initially to pull down Rhodes’s statue at the campus.

It later morphed into a global campaign, which saw Oxford University resisting calls to remove a statue of the politician — placing an explanatory panel next to it instead.

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Often described as a philanthropist but also an arch-racist, Rhodes dreamt of a British Africa from Cape Town to Cairo, with the blessings of Queen Victoria.

Cynthia Marangwanda (37), from Harare, is enraged by the presence of Rhodes grave.

She believes he chose that site because he knew its spiritual significance to the local people.

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It was his “final display of power, a deliberate and calculated act… of domination,” said the activist.

Zimbabwe’s ex-strongman Robert Mugabe, who took the reins from independence from Britain in 1980, saw no reason to remove Rhodes’s remains.

But Marangwanda has been energised by the current president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who “understands the significance, the heritage aspect of the debate”.

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Even so, more than five years after Mnangagwa came to power, there is no indication of movement on the issue — or consensus on where the remains would go.

The economic benefits accruing from the tourism, do not hold water for Marangwanda.

“Matobo is such a beautiful landscape, it doesn’t need this colonial grave,” to attract foreign visitors, she stressed.

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The presence of the grave in Zimbabwe is an “insult to our very existence as a people,” said historian and co-founder of Rhodes-Must-Fall campaign Tafadzwa Gwini (33).

Exhuming the remains “is a form of reclaiming our identity as a people”, insists Gwini.

Yet some visitors simply don’t understand the outrage around the grave.

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“I brought my kids.

“I also came here as a kid,” said a 45-year-old white Zimbabwean, Nicky Johnson.

“History shouldn’t be tampered with. He wanted to be buried here, that’s how it should be”.

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Akhil Maugi (28) who lives from nearby city of Bulawayo, shares similar sentiments.

“You can’t erase what happened. No one would come here if this grave was gone,” he said.

Pathisa Nyathi, a 71-year-old local historian, points out that it was “the grandeur of the rocks” that made it a “holy site” that once attracted pilgrims from neighbouring countries.

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The “pre-eminent shrine” in the region “was sacred to Africans” but not to Rhodes, said Nyathi.

Opposition MP and ex-education minister David Coltart, who regularly cycles in Matobo park, brings some humour to the debate saying “I must say Rhodes had an incredible eye for real estate”.

Exiting the park, is a roadside market selling T-shirts, woven baskets and carved animals to tourists.

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A little further is a village with a few houses.

Micah Sibanda, 82, stands barefoot, leaning on a walking stick, overlooking a few cows.

Rhodes’s grave is “important” to the villagers because it attracts visitors who in turn buy crafts “and we get some money to send our kids to school, …get food and clothes.

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After all, Sibanda said, the white visitors are also coming “to pay respects to their own ancestor.” – AFP

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National

“We are losing ground”: Counsellors’ demotivation threatens Zimbabwe’s HIV gains

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

The men and women who have been at the heart of Zimbabwe’s fight against HIV — the primary health counsellors — say their morale has hit rock bottom as they continue to work without job security, inconsistent pay, and uncertain futures.

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These counsellors, stationed across hospitals and clinics countrywide, form the backbone of the country’s HIV prevention and treatment programme. They handle testing, counselling, and patient follow-ups — ensuring those on antiretroviral therapy stay in care and that new infections are detected early.

But as Hwange West legislator Vusumuzi Moyo warned in Parliament, the system supporting these essential workers is “crumbling quietly.”

“Their salaries have been very erratic, sometimes going for months without pay,” Moyo told VicFallsLive after his parliamentary question to the Minister of Health and Child Care. “These people are the heartbeat of HIV management. They’re paid from the Global Fund, but payments have not been consistent, and the government has taken too long to incorporate them into the civil service.”

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Currently, the counsellors are funded under the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) — a donor mechanism that has kept thousands of Zimbabwean health posts afloat for years.

However, global aid shifts, including the ripple effects of the U.S. administration’s restrictions on foreign aid, have made their positions increasingly vulnerable.

Health Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora confirmed during a recent parliamentary session that staff bids had been submitted to Treasury for approval to absorb counsellors into the government payroll.

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He said that while donor funding has decreased, both the U.S. Government and Global Fund have continued to prioritise support for human resources at primary healthcare level.

Still, for many of the counsellors — and for communities relying on them — the wait has been too long.

Moyo painted a grim picture of what’s happening in hospitals.

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“If you go to referral hospitals like Forrester, you’ll find that about 90% of male ward patients are people who have defaulted on treatment,” he said. “It’s because counsellors are no longer motivated. They used to follow up with patients, call them if they missed visits, and make sure they stayed in care. But now, with no pay or recognition, there’s no incentive to keep doing that work.”

He warned that the country’s AIDS-related deaths are rising again, undoing the progress Zimbabwe had made in reducing HIV prevalence.

“Our statistics had been improving — even other countries were benchmarking our model. But now, it’s as if we’re back to the old days. You see people sick again, wards filling up, and that speaks to a system that’s failing quietly,” Moyo added.

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Zimbabwe has long been recognised as one of Africa’s HIV success stories, cutting its national prevalence from over 26% in the early 2000s to around 11% today, according to research studies. Much of that progress was driven by a strong network of community-based counsellors who ensured people were tested, treated, and supported.

 

 

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Bulawayo mourns Nkulumane MP and poet Desire “Moyoxide” Moyo

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

The City of Bulawayo has expressed deep sorrow following the death of Nkulumane MP and acclaimed poet Desire “Moyoxide” Moyo, who died in a car accident early Friday morning near Shangani.

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In a condolence message issued by Town Clerk Christopher Dube on behalf of the Mayor, Senator David Coltart, councillors, and residents, the city described Moyo as “an iconic leader, poet par excellence, and creative who strove to champion the arts in Bulawayo and beyond.”

Moyo, who was affectionately known as Moyoxide, was praised for his commitment to the city’s artistic and civic development. The statement highlighted his impact through his multiple roles — as a Member of Parliament for Ngulumane, a community leader, and a poet who spoke out against injustices while advocating for progress.

“He positively impacted the city through his roles as a leader and poet who challenged all for the development of Bulawayo and the country,” read part of the statement.

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The City of Bulawayo also extended its condolences to the Moyo family, the Bulawayo community, and the nation at large.

“May his soul rest in eternal peace,” the statement added.

The city further wished a speedy recovery to other CCC legislators who were injured in the same accident — Honourables Madalaboy Ndebele, Senator Rittah Ndlovu, Sethulo Ndebele, and Libion Sibanda.

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CCC legislators in road accident, Nkulumane MP dies

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BY STAFF REPORTER

One Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator has died while four others were seriously injured in a road accident that occurred early Friday morning near Shangani along Bulawayo-Harare highway.

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CCC spokesperson Promise Mkhwananzi confirmed the accident, saying it happened between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. when the vehicle carrying the members collided with an elephant.

“The vehicle hit an elephant along the Shangani area, and unfortunately Honourable Desire Moyo, the Member of Parliament for Ngulumane, died on the scene,” Nkwananzi said.

He added that the other occupants — Honourable Madalaboy Ndebele, Senator Rittah Ndlovu, Honourable Sethulo Ndebele, and Libion Sibanda — sustained serious injuries and were rushed to a hospital in Bulawayo.

Nkwananzi said he was deeply shocked by Moyo’s death, as he had met him just yesterday in Harare.

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“I had seen Moyo yesterday and we spent about an hour chatting outside Jamieson Hotel about the party and our future plans for national development,” he said. “I’m gutted by his passing. It’s a huge loss for the party.”

He conveyed his condolences to the Moyo family and wished a speedy recovery and strength to the families of the other CCC members who remain in critical condition.

He said further details, including the name of the hospital where the injured are receiving treatment, would be released once confirmed.

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