Maravi

Make Mulungushi Rock a heroes’ burial site - Manda

Make Mulungushi Rock a heroes’ burial site - Manda
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Thu 07 July 2011, 04:00 CAT

DR FRANCIS Manda says Zambia should not have a burial site for fallen presidents alone but all national heroes. Dr Manda, a urologist, said Embassy Park, where former presidents Levy Mwanawasa and Frederick Chiluba are buried should not be the final resting place for the country’s leaders.

Dr Manda proposed that former presidents, with other fallen national heroes, needed to be buried at Mulungushi River Rock of Authority where nationalists who broke away from the Zambian African National Congress convened a conference under the banner of a new party, UNIP, in 1960 in the then Northern Rhodesia.

He said the nationalists held a conference to look at the future direction and how to achieve independence, in a place where they could not be under the eye of the colonial authorities.

During the ZNBC Radio 4 Manzi Therapy programme, Dr Manda said the ex-presidents were not the only heroes for the country.

“We are saying we have a resting place for other heroes as well, especially those who participated in the independence of this country should be recognised,” Dr Manda said.

“I would suggest we go back to the roots of our struggle, the Mulungushi Rock of Authority. The US has Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County.”

He said there was need to come up with a heroes square where fallen heroes like Mama Julia Chikamoneka born Julia Mulenga Nsofwa and others could be reburied as was the case in countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe and the United States.

“I know in Africa, it’s not easy to exhume and rebury someone but South Africa and Zimbabwe have been exhuming their heroes everywhere they are to go and bury them,” said Dr Manda. “What we need to know is that even if you are gone, you are still a hero.”

Dr Manda made the remarks following his reflections on the passing away of Chiluba and Mwanawasa.

Labels: FRANCIS MANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:41 PM