‘Nehanda’s skull first before economy’: Jonathan Moyo

HARARE – Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo has bizarrely claimed that the Zanu PF government cannot focus on turning around the collapsing economy until the British government returns the skulls of liberation war heroes; Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi, which are displayed in a British museum.

“We want jobs not skulls” has been the leading cry by many concerned Zimbabweans on social networking site Twitter. Moyo was forced to respond to growing calls for the government to fix the economy and stem the tide of job losses that has seen an estimated 18 000 workers offloaded in the last few weeks alone.

In a bizarre rant, 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!” the former Information Minister said.

Over the Heroes Holiday President Robert Mugabe lashed out at Britain for having kept the heads of some of the First Chimurenga (1896–97) heroes and heroines, including Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru Kaguvi, Chingaira Makoni, Chinengundu Mashayamombe, Mapondera, Mashonganyika and Chitekedza Chiwashira.

Nehanda Charwe Nyakasikana (1840–1898) popularly known as Mbuya Nehanda was a svikiro, or spirit medium. She provided inspiration for the revolt against the British South Africa Company’s colonisation of Mashonaland and Matebeleland (now Zimbabwe). She and her ally Sekuru Kaguvi were eventually captured and executed by the British.

“We are told that skulls of our people, our leaders, are being displayed in a British museum and they are inviting us to repatriate them. We will repatriate them, but with bitterness, questioning the rationale behind decapitating them,” Mugabe was quoted as saying.

Mugabe said the idea of keeping decapitated heads as war trophies in this day and age in “national history museum must rank among the highest form of racist moral decadence, sadism, and human insensitivity”.

“Once all the necessary process have been completed for the return of these illicitly removed remains of our ancestors, it is our wish, in consultation with our traditional leaders, that they be given lasting rest, at sacred shrines on the very land against whose occupation they bravery fought,” he said.