Elusive Politics in the Recognition and Management of Historic Buildings in Post-Independent Zimbabwe

Abstract

Historic buildings are the physical landmarks of our past trajectory; they are not only remnants from the past but also material correlates of our historical narratives. In Zimbabwe, and perhaps the rest of the African continent, these historic buildings are mostly distributed in areas which once served European interests. These include urbanite environments, which functioned as administrative centres, areas where missionary work was carried out, and places of economic interests such as farms and mines, among others. Although historic buildings are protected by law at both national and international levels, the provisions of these legal instruments have some subtle, political undertones which derail what they purport to stand for. The concept of cut-off dates in the definition of historic buildings in the country implies the absence of ‘history’ in Zimbabwe before the European invasion. Further to this, separation of heritage managers and owners of historic buildings has made it challenging to have a uniform implementation strategy of conservation measures. The article subscribes to theoretical frameworks of historic buildings conservation adopted by the International Council of Monuments and Sites, notably the 1964 Venice Charter. Methodologically, the information presented in this article is largely drawn from personal experience of dealing with historic buildings as heritage managers but shall be complemented by interviewing critical stakeholders in the management of historic buildings in Zimbabwe.