The recent news about the Government of Zimbabwe’s handover of a vehicle for use by the Zimbabwe Liberation Archives has ignited a lot of discussion, including on social media. Many of our stakeholders are concerned that the allocation of a single-cab Toyota pick-up is likely to compromise our independence.
For the record, as the CITE Board, we are very much aware of the historical and current state of affairs in Zimbabwe, and we fully understand the concerns raised by our stakeholders and the general public. It has never escaped us that there is so much polarisation in the country’s political environment, and we understand why the donation of vehicles and other ‘benefits’ by political players to many individuals has attracted significant public scrutiny in recent months. We are therefore truly humbled by the vigilance that our stakeholders and the public have demonstrated following the news of the handover of a vehicle for use by the Zimbabwe Liberation Archives.
We have, however, felt the need to clarify the whole issue about the allocation of the vehicle.
The vehicle was not handed over as a personal benefit to the Director of CITE, nor was it donated to CITE as an organisation. It remains the property of the Government of Zimbabwe. It has been allocated specifically for use by the ZPRA Liberation Archives Project in documenting Zimbabwe’s liberation history as well as the broader national history. Government equipped the project on wartime narratives, which CITE happens to be undertaking. Government equipped a project that is of national historical interest.
On this topic
CITE has been engaged in discussions with the Government on possible areas of collaboration to strengthen the documentation and preservation of Zimbabwe’s liberation heritage. This collaboration builds on work that CITE has undertaken for many years through the ZPRA Liberation Archives, documenting the experiences of liberation war veterans and preserving historical records that might otherwise be lost.
The Board welcomed this opportunity because it recognises the value of the work already being carried out by the ZPRA Liberation Archives Project, and seeks to expand it into an even broader initiative. The project provides an important opportunity to preserve our history for future generations through collaboration with relevant national institutions, including the National Archives of Zimbabwe. However, we wish to assure our audiences, partners, stakeholders and the general public that this arrangement does not alter CITE’s editorial independence or editorial policy. The Board remains fully committed to protecting the organisation’s independence, integrity and public-interest mandate.
We thank everyone who has raised questions and shared their views. Your engagement reflects the trust you place in CITE and the importance you attach to our work. The Board remains committed to transparency and accountability, and we will continue to uphold the principles that have guided CITE since its establishment.
Mr Busani Bafana
CITE board Vice chair
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