Harare — THE Director of the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, Dr Godfrey Mahachi, says Cecil John Rhodes's grave in the Matopos National Park is part of Zimbabwe's heritage and should not be desecrated as called for by some people who are calling for the removal of his remains.

Dr Mahachi made the remarks during an interview on the Zimbabwe Broadcasting programme In Focus on Wednesday.

"This particular case on why we have been spending a lot of resources looking after Rhodes grave and managing it has been topical for sometime. But it should be remembered that Rhodes is part of this country despite his being an architect of colonialism," he said.

Debate has been raging in the country about the wisdom of keeping Rhodes' grave and his legacy of colonialism in one of Zimbabwe's important historical sites in the Matopo Hills.

The late Mr Lawrence Chakaredza, leader of the pressure group Sangano Munhum-utapa met fierce resistance when he suggested that the remains of Rhodes be removed from the shrine.

Cecil John Rhodes lies atop a sacred African shrine in the 320 000 hectare Rhodes Matopos Estate, about 40 kilometres sou-th-west of Bulawayo.

Although the property is listed as State land, the Government is powerless to do as it pleases with the estate as the land is tied to Rhodes' will through the Parks and Wildlife and Rhodes Estate Acts.

Dr Mahachi said as Zimbabweans, we cannot deny our history and for the purposes of remembering where we came from the grave should be respected.

"Removing Rhodes' grave will not change things about what he did, tempering with heritage is not the best thing to do and where does it end?" he said.

According to the Rhodes Estate Act, Rhodes also 'prohibited' the burial of people at the World View area atop the Matopo Hills "within a radius of two kilometers of the grave".