Plans to exhume Cecil John Rhodes' remains blocked

President Robert Mugabe's officials have blocked plans to exhume the remains of Zimbabwe's colonial master Cecil John Rhodes, saying his legacy is part of the country's history.

War veterans have been pushing for the grave, in the Matopos Hills National Park south of Bulawayo, to be dug up and Mr Rhodes' remains to be returned to the UK, blaming them for a lack of rain in the area.

But Godfrey Mahachi, the director of Zimbabwe's National Museums and Monuments, said the grave was an important reminder of the country's colonialist past which could not be airbrushed out.

"The call for the removal of the grave is not new but our view is that it is part of national history and heritage and therefore it should not be tampered with," said Mr Mahachi.

"This is the reason why we are keeping Rhodes' grave because it is part and parcel of the history of Zimbabwe. 

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