51 YEARS
OF ZAMBIA’S INDEPENDENCE
HERITAGE CONSERVATION CONTINUES
Maxwell Zulu -Education Officer (NHCC)
I
MAGINE Zambia without its heritage fifty years
on. Surely that would be described as a lost nation.
This entails there would be no historic buildings,
no museums or archives, no family traditions or
photos, no traditional music or dance. What we
should remember is that heritage is the core of our identity
as Zambians. It is your story, your friend’s story, your
neighbour’s story, your community’s story – all the stories
from the past that Zambians keep alive and tell others.
It is with this realisation that by protecting, preserving
and interpreting our heritage we can better understand the
present, and make more informed choices for the future.
In that light, the government of Zambia with its leadership
has by all means and ways emphasised on preserving its
heritage through traditional leaders and government organs
hence the creation of the National Museums Board and the
National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) under
the umbrella of the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional
Affairs.
The National heritage Conservation Commission,
for example, responsible for conserving and protecting
Zambia’s rich heritage estate for the benefit of the current
and posterity has contributed significantly to espouse
its mandate. It has ensured that the country’s heritage is
conserved, preserved, maintained and promoted for tourism
contributing to the national economy through income
generation and employment creation.
For instance, the Chinyunyu Hot Spring in Rufunsa
District that forms one of the most visited sites in Zambia
after the Victoria Falls. In view of that the NHCC has
embarked on infrastructure development at the site in
order to augument it and attract more visitors. Recently the
Chinyunyu Hot Spring was fenced and a new ticket office
constructed, while building of toilets is on course.
The opening of Chinyunyu Hot Spring has inevitably
not only improved NHCC’S public image but also created
employment to some members of Bunda Bunda Chiefdom
thereby alleviating poverty in rural communities. Similarly,
the Presidential Burial Site (Embassy Park) along the
Independence Road in Lusaka like Chinyunyu Hot Spring
has equally given employment to constructors as well as
accredited photographers. The site has been paved and
landscaped giving it the status it deserves. This is the site
where the remains of Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC,
Dr Fredrick T.J. Chiluba and Mr Michael Chilufya Sata are
buried.
Coming to Southern Province a number of preservation,
conservation and developmental projects have been
accomplished over the fifty years of Zambia’s independence.
For example, the Choma Declaration Heritage site, a
historic place at which Zambians through their leaders Dr.
Kenneth David Kaunda as republican president and leader
of the then ruling United National Independence Party
(UNIP), and Mr. Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula leader of the
22
TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA
opposition political party, African National Congress (ANC)
then, signed a declaration agreement that ushered in a ‘One
Party Political System of Governance’ for Zambia on 27th
June, 1972 was rehabilitated.
This has seen the reconstruction of the podium and its
associated structures. The entire grounds surrounding the
main podium were also landscape thereby giving the place
a new lease of life. Consequently, the Choma Declaration
Heritage site was chosen by the provincial authorities to host
the Golden Jubilee Celebrations for Southern Province, to
mark Zambia’s 50 years of Independence.
This is a historic and monumental site which marked
the end of violent inter-party clashes between UNIP and
the ANC and through this declaration, the country entered
a phase in which all Zambians united and embraced one
another through the motto ‘One Zambia One Nation’.
The declaration brought peace, unity and fostered national
development. Currently the site has a perimeter fence and
one worker looking after the site and its infrastructure and
curb vandalism.
A look at North-western Province reveals that it has
a number of heritage sites with potential for tourism
development. Because of that NHCC has not stayed back in
its conservation, preservation and developmental projects
to put the province in the lime light. Kifubwa Rock Shelter
south of Solwezi Town-Centre and past H