South African President Jacob Zuma has commended Zambia for declaring the Oliver Tambo house a national Monument in honor of the late African National Congress (ANC) leader Oliver Tambo, who lived in Zambia during the struggle for that country’s liberation.
President Zuma praised Zambia for taking the risk to host the ANC and its leadership.
President Zuma said Zambia was a target by the apartheid region especially in 1980s when the region was out to assassinate members of the liberation movements, which led to the bombing of countries that hosted such movements.
He said hosting Mr Tambo and the ANC headquarters for 22 years will never be forgotten by South Africa, adding that declaration of the house in which he lived further strengthens the ties between the two nations.
The South African Head of State was speaking during the joint official launch of the Oliver Tambo House as a national monument.
And President Lungu stated that heritage sites play an important role in educating the general public about their past and development of the nation.
The President noted that it was imperative that heritage conservation and sustainable development are used as a strategy for tourism diversification, education promotion, national identity and pride enhancement, national unity and peace fostering as well as regional integration.
The head of state added that besides the Oliver Tambo site, more historical sites should be identified and declared as national monuments.
President Lungu noted that the declaration of the house as a national monument marks the beginning of a journey of more national monuments.
He said the liberation sites in Zambia such as those connected to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and other neighboring countries should be exploited, as Zambia was home to a number of liberation movements from the African region.
President Lungu has since appealed to neighboring countries to work together with Zambia to document, protect and present the heritage, as a common African legacy.
He noted that the month of October is memorable for both South Africa and Zambia as they celebrate the year of Oliver Tambo and the Life of Patriotic Front founder Michael Sata.
He said time has come for Zambia and other African counties to celebrate their own heritage.
Meanwhile First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda said liberating Southern African countries was not easy as it came with a lot of sacrifices.
Dr. Kaunda said Zambia sacrificed a lot to ensure that the region was liberated, saying the country lost too many good people and property in the process to liberate the region.
He said the new generation should never forget the friendship between South Africa and Zambia and it spans decade following the help Zambia rendered during the struggle.
Dr Kaunda hosted Oliver Tambo and the ANC in Lusaka and other liberation movements from the region that were fighting for freedom.
Oliver Tambo who led the ANC from 1967 to 1991 spent 22 years of exile in Zambia and was given a house in then Chelstone Green which is now part of Avondale in Lusaka.
Oliver Tambo could have turned 100 years this year if he had lived and the declaration coincides with the month in which he was born.
WELDONE ZAMBIA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just like the Zambian government. They spruce up an unoccupied building. They must look after all houses in Zed like that
That house has been unoccupied for more than two decades now. When we were growing up in the hood, we were told it was a haunted house.
WELL DONE ZAMBIA, WELL DONE KK WITH YOUR TEAM!! UNFORTUNATELY ALL THOSE THAT WE SUFFERED TO LIBERATE HAVE TURNED THEIR BACKS ON US!! INSTEAD THEY HAVE TURNED US INTO LAUGHING STOCKS FOR OUR ECONOMIC BACKWARDNESS PART OF WHICH CAME AS A RESULT OF OUR SACRIFICES TO LIBERATE THEM TO RECLAIM THEIR HUMANITY!! IT IS SO SAD!!
“He said the liberation sites in Zambia such as those connected to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and other neighboring countries should be exploited, as Zambia was home to a number of liberation movements from the African region.President Lungu has since appealed to neighboring countries to work together with Zambia to document, protect and present the heritage, as a common African legacy” -THIS SHOULD BE FOR US TO DO IF THEY DON”T WANT TO!! LET US DO THEM TO TEACH OUR GENERATIONS OUR CONTRIBUTIONS.THOSE WHO BENEFITED MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN OUR SACRIFICES SO LET US DO IT, THEY WILL COME ALONG WHEN THEY WAKE UP!! WHY NOT USE KK TO WRITE ALL THAT HAPPENED DURING THOSE STRUGGLES AND HOW ZAMBIA REALLY SUFFERED AND HELPED TO BRING FREEDOM??!!
Commendable. What the SA government should do if they really appreciate the gesture is to adopted that house and take charge of its maintenance and running it as a national heritage site or museum. South Africa has many such sites (there are at least two such residential houses turned-museums in JHB in honour of Mandela that are well run. Zambian government will not have the capacity run them well….and I do not just mean financial capacity but even technical know-how in terms of curators to run such sites. One should just see the state of the Chilenje house that KK stayed on even our national museums. They are quite run-down, to say the least.
This is what needs to be taught to Mmusi Maimane and Hichilema, they don’t appreciate our history
I was about to say the same.
Also was almost saying the same, brethren.
WE appreciate what Zambia did but we cannot be accountable for ever, we are a different pipo with new challenges that what forefathers had. Hence SA is not responsible and shall never be for zambias economic malaise. No further monuments cos. accommodation is critical in lusaka , that house can keep in a family , kindly explore the posibility of housing DP party cadres from SA. Why young people like zuma and Ecl are standing whilst kaunda is seated its not our culture to directly look at pala yaba kulu and who is that chap in between ECL and ZUMA?
You are very silly.
That is Nathi Mthethwa…SA’s minister of Arts and Culture
How nice but let us move on . . .
We do not need their thank yous or charity.
We are just happy they are FREE and they are free to f#@k their freedom.
God bless mother Zambia.
ALUTA CONTINUA!!!!
Only those who were there would appreciate! These Under Fives have no idea what these freedom fighters went through! Welcome Mr. Zuma and thank you for appreciating KK! The man worked very hard for all Africa!
Hichilema is an Under Five! He knows nothing.
manga makishi dancer dressing yaba first lady iyi?
Nanga makishi dancer dressing yaba first lady iyi?
In SA there is no freedom of movement. Zambians are alased to much by South Africans