The Southern Africa Freedom Trail is a route running through Lusaka, Zambia that leads to a number of historic sites significant to the region's anti-colonial and anti-apartheid struggles.[1]

For nearly 30 years leaders of nationalist movements from various Southern African countries used Lusaka, Zambia as a base for their respective campaigns. Leaders from South Africa, including Oliver Tambo and future presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma held offices in Lusaka.[2][3][4] In addition, insurgents from Zimbabwe, Namibia and Mozambique were based out of Lusaka.[5] As a result, Lusaka was the site for numerous significant meetings and policy changes, but it also became the site of raids and assassinations targeting these organisations. The Southern Africa Freedom Trail directs followers to these historic, yet often unmarked, locations.

Some of the locations on the trail include the African National Congress (ANC) Headquarters where Oliver Tambo maintained his office and the African Liberation Centre headed by Edward Nkoloso, who also became well known for his attempt at building a Zambian space program.[6] Other locations include the Mulungushi International Conference Centre, the site where the ANC elected Nelson Mandela as the deputy president of the party, as well as the assassination site of Herbert Chitepo, leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union,[7] and the attempted assassination site of Joshua Nkomo, leader of the Zimbabwe African People's Union.[8]

The Southern Africa Freedom Trail was created by the Lusaka Global Shapers, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, in 2014, with Matthew Grollnek and Patience Chisanga leading the project.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Justinah Mukuka (25 October 2014). "Lusaka youth network launches Freedom Trail". The Post. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "Oliver Tambo". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Thabo Mbeki Timeline 1942-". South African History Online. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma". African National Congress. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  5. ↑ Hugh Macmillan (1 October 2013). The Lusaka Years: The ANC in exile in Zambia, 1963 to 1994. Jacana Media. pp. 68–. ISBN 978-1-4314-0821-4.
  6. ↑ Miriam Kramer (9 October 2013). "Meet 'The Afronauts': Artist Recalls Zambia's Forgotten Space Program". Space.com. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  7. ↑ Ranger, Terence (2003). "Herbert Chitepo: Assassination, Confession and Narrative". Journal of Southern African Studies. 29 (4): 999–1002. JSTOR 3557400.
  8. ↑ "Rhodesia attacks". South Africa History Archive. ZAPU. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "Lusaka: Southern Africa Freedom Trail". Global Shapers. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2014.

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