HARARE, ZIMBABWE (News of The South) – In a dramatic development, King Munhumutapa of Zimbabwe today served a notice to King Charles III of England, demanding the removal of Cecil John Rhodes’ remains from the sacred Matopos Hills. The notice, delivered to the British High Commission in Harare and officially stamped as received, also formally declared Zimbabwe a Kingdom, asserting it is “no longer tolerating nonsense.”
King Munhumutapa stated that failure by the British to remove Rhodes’ remains would compel Zimbabwe to proceed with the exhumation, placing the remains in sacks for collection. Should they remain uncollected, they would be buried at Mbudzi Cemetery in Harare.
The King emphasized the profound spiritual significance of Matopos Hills to Zimbabwe, asserting that the burial of Cecil John Rhodes and his men there was a violation of Zimbabwean tradition. He referenced the dying instructions of Nehanda Mazviona, a revered liberation struggle leader, who reportedly called for the removal of these remains for Zimbabwe to achieve true progress.
“45 years after independence, this has not been done and has serious consequences for the country,” King Munhumutapa declared from Harare. Nehanda Mazviona famously led Zimbabwean resistance against white colonial rule, ultimately paving the way for independence.
Beyond the immediate demand for Rhodes’ remains, King Munhumutapa outlined a broader agenda to “clean up Zimbabwe and all the things done wrongly.” He further demanded the repatriation of Zimbabwean ancestral skulls and artifacts allegedly stolen and housed in UK museums.
“Should we not receive the remains and artifacts stolen from Zimbabwe, we will go ahead to commence traditional rituals which will ensure the remains and artifacts trouble them and they will end up bringing them back themselves,” the King warned, underscoring Zimbabwe’s deep spiritual heritage.
“Zimbabwe is a spiritual country and I want peace in Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans cannot continue to suffer,” he added. King Munhumutapa concluded by stating that Zimbabwean ancestors have “accepted and given the greenlight” for the exhumation of the remains from Matopos, signaling that “enough is enough.”
The notice comes at a time when discussions surrounding colonial legacies and the repatriation of cultural heritage are gaining increasing international momentum. This direct challenge from King Munhumutapa is likely to ignite significant diplomatic and cultural discourse between Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom.
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