By Correspondent
Harare Kopje has been declared a National Monument by Government through a new Statutory Instrument (S.I) 133 of 2024.
The declaration was made this week by the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Kazembe Kazembe.
The decision is in terms of section 20 of the National Museums and Monuments Act [Chapter 25:11].
The Kopje, in Harare’s CBD has a storied history since the arrival of the Pioneer Column in 1890.
Chief Neharawa, after whom Harare is named, is reputedly buried within the vicinity of the kopje.
The actual kopje area covers around 15 hectares (37 acres) and was declared initially declared a National monument in 1968.
Since then it has been a tourist attraction but has lately fallen into dereliction due to abuse and misuse.
According to ZimFieldGuide, “today the state of the kopje is synonymous with the current state of Harare’s City Council.
“The lower surrounds of the hill are covered with dumped litter, the roads are in poor shape and the hillsides are used as a public toilet.
“The toposcope is destroyed and the public gardens that used to make the site so attractive have gone to ruin.
“It is no longer a place that you would want to take a visitor to give them a bird’s eye view of the city.
