By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has ordered the government to allow the public to access the Mbuya Nehanda Statue in Harare.
The directive came just hours after a video showing a popular YouTuber Davud Akhundzada being blocked from viewing the monument went viral online.
The permanent secretary for ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana announced the President’s intervention on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, confirming that a new plan is being developed to make the site accessible to everyone.
“To enable safe public viewing of the Mbuya Nehanda Statue, while protecting the iconic monument, the government is creating a new access framework. The President has instructed that this be implemented as soon as possible. We take this opportunity to apologise to the public for the delayed access,” Mangwana wrote.
The issue started when travel blogger Davud Akhundzada shared a video of himself being stopped by a police officer while trying to use the pedestrian bridge that overlooks the statue in central Harare.
In the clip, the officer could not clearly explain why the bridge was closed to the public and told Akhundzada to seek permission from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA).
The video quickly spread across X, Facebook, and Instagram, attracting thousands of views and sparking debate about access to national monuments.
As public concern grew, the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry issued a statement explaining that the statue is a National Heritage Monument managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage.
The ministry said access to certain areas had been restricted for safety and preservation reasons.
“We wish to clarify that the Mbuya Nehanda Statue is a National Heritage Monument managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage. It stands as a proud symbol of Zimbabwe’s liberation history and identity,” the statement read.
The Ministry apologised to Akhundzada and announced a new plan to improve public access to heritage sites through an inter-ministerial initiative.
“We sincerely apologise to Mr. Davud Akhundzada for the inconvenience caused and remain committed to ensuring that all tourists enjoy safe and memorable experiences. Through coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, tourism officers will be deployed at key heritage and cultural sites to guide and assist visitors,” the ministry added.
The new plan is expected to balance preservation and public accessibility, ensuring that the Mbuya Nehanda Statue remains both protected and proudly visible to locals and tourists alike.