18 Jun 2023

Botswana and Mozambique governments have signed a joint management plan through which the two countries will run the Samora Machel Museum in Lobatse.

The plan signed by the Minister of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism, Philda Kereng, and Mozambique Minister of Culture and Tourism Eldevina Materula in Lobatse  on Thursday is a follow-up action to make the museum fully operational following the official launch in April last year.

Kereng said the museum was constructed after revision of an agreement on cooperation in culture, arts, education and sports between the two governments in 2016.

The agreement was revised to include the construction of the museum to which she commended the government of Mozambique for ensuring that construction was completed.

“The joint management plan will, therefore, allow for the smooth running and management of the museum by the two governments,” she said. “It is important to ensure that there is a proper structure, system and operational framework in place for the museum to deliver the mandate of economic development, livelihood improvement, job creation and a great experience for tourists.”

She said the museum was a milestone in the cooperation between the two countries. She added that the agreement signified the zeal and commitment by the two governments to operationalise the museum.

“Through this milestone, we expect that many visitors will come and learn about the interaction of Batswana with Mozambique’s first president Samora Machel when he was in Botswana en route to Tanzania during the liberation struggle,” she said.

“We expect that researchers, students, tourists, the public, political groups and movements will come from different areas and enjoy what the museum has to offer.”

Kereng said the museum was an addition to the wide range of heritage sites in Lobatse, which included Botswana’s first radio station, Boswelatlou gorge, scenic mountains, the train station, the first constitutional court, and the Fish Keitseng monument.

She said the museum was expected to activate businesses, experiences, activities and different value chains around them. She added that a restaurant at the museum would be the hub for the community of Lobatse and the society, in general, to enjoy and experience the Tswana and Mozambique cuisine side by side as the two nations forge a joint lifestyle connection.

“Government will join the community of Lobatse to host a wide range of cultural events and tourism activities in driving the Revised Tourism Policy and the Botswana National Tourism Strategy and Masterplan to revitalise Lobatse to become a tourism hub,” she said.

For her part, Materula thanked the Kgaboesele family for the gesture of solidarity shown to the late President Samora Machel.

Materula said the noble and courageous gesture of the Kgaboesele family contributed to the strengthening of the friendly relations between the people of Mozambique and Botswana.

She said that friendship culminated with the construction of the museum which was also a place of cultural interchange.

“A commitment was made between the two governments to ensure sustainable management of the museum, considering the historical political, social and cultural importance of the museum,”she said.

“To achieve this goal, a technical team from Mozambique and Botswana worked very hard and today we have the joint management plan for the museum.”

She said the signing of the plan would pave way for the opening of the museum to the public.

“We are aware that the population of Lobatse, visitors and tourists are anxious to visit the museum for leisure and study. This anxiety will finally be satisfied. The museum portrays part of the life and work of our great president Samora Machel as well as part of our common history,” she said.

Lobatse MP, Dr Thapelo Matsheka, said it was symbolic that the museum was constructed in Lobatse as it was historically a place of refuge. He said the museum was on the other hand a symbol of freedom which Dr Machel represented. Ends