Architects say move of monument ‘flawed’

THE Namibia Institute of Architects (NIA) has called on the Government to consider building the planned Independence Memorial Museum in Katutura, Mondesa or Kuisebmond instead of moving the famous Reiterdenkmal to make way for it.

NIA president Paul Munting said tourism linked to the new museum must benefit the people where historical events such as the first trade union movements started and help rectify some of the shortcomings of the apartheid planning legacy that the city has inherited. “At the same time it would take the financial benefits of such a prominent draw card to where they are most needed,” Munting said in an open letter to the Office of the President.The Namibian reported last month that plans were at an advanced stage for the construction of the N$8 million Independence Memorial Museum.In the process of construction the Reiterdenkmal, erected in 1912 to commemorate the victory of the German Schutztruppe in the Herero and Nama uprising against colonial rule, will be moved to a spot in front of the Alte Feste.The NIA said building a museum adjacent to the Alte Feste was “inherently flawed” and would result in missed opportunities to distribute the benefits to people who need it most.”At present there are few incentives available to draw tourists to Katutura and as a consequence the tourist expenditure in Windhoek is concentrated in the central business district and surrounds.This is in spite of a real desire among many tourists to visit and experience a less colonially influenced urban environment,” Munting said.He said taking the museum to Katutura, Mondesa (Swakopmund) or Kuisebmond (Walvis Bay) would mean it would form part of the daily lives of those who were in the struggle.They gave the Red Location Museum in the Nelson Mandela Municipality (Port Elizabeth) and Hector Pietersen Museum in Soweto, Johannesburg, as examples of that.The NIA also voiced concern about the manner in which Government was using foreign architects at the exclusion of Namibians and the lack of transparency around the proposed design of the museum.”It is difficult, time-consuming and expensive to rectify planning or development errors in a city and the implementation of policy ensuring that prominent buildings are procured by competition has become the internationally accepted means of managing this risk,” they said.Plans for the Independence Memorial Museum started several years back, with the Government stating that it wanted the construction completed before the country’s 20th Independence anniversary.Cabinet approved the drawings and plans around seven years ago.The Independence Memorial Museum would be a national monument intended to educate Namibians and tourists about the history of the country’s Independence through historical displays.In this year’s budget allocation to the Department of Works, N$8 million was allocated to the project.”At the same time it would take the financial benefits of such a prominent draw card to where they are most needed,” Munting said in an open letter to the Office of the President.The Namibian reported last month that plans were at an advanced stage for the construction of the N$8 million Independence Memorial Museum.In the process of construction the Reiterdenkmal, erected in 1912 to commemorate the victory of the German Schutztruppe in the Herero and Nama uprising against colonial rule, will be moved to a spot in front of the Alte Feste.The NIA said building a museum adjacent to the Alte Feste was “inherently flawed” and would result in missed opportunities to distribute the benefits to people who need it most.”At present there are few incentives available to draw tourists to Katutura and as a consequence the tourist expenditure in Windhoek is concentrated in the central business district and surrounds.This is in spite of a real desire among many tourists to visit and experience a less colonially influenced urban environment,” Munting said.He said taking the museum to Katutura, Mondesa (Swakopmund) or Kuisebmond (Walvis Bay) would mean it would form part of the daily lives of those who were in the struggle.They gave the Red Location Museum in the Nelson Mandela Municipality (Port Elizabeth) and Hector Pietersen Museum in Soweto, Johannesburg, as examples of that.The NIA also voiced concern about the manner in which Government was using foreign architects at the exclusion of Namibians and the lack of transparency around the proposed design of the museum.”It is difficult, time-consuming and expensive to rectify planning or development errors in a city and the implementation of policy ensuring that prominent buildings are procured by competition has become the internationally accepted means of managing this risk,” they said.Plans for the Independence Memorial Museum started several years back, with the Government stating that it wanted the construction completed before the country’s 20th Independence anniversary.Cabinet approved the drawings and plans around seven years ago.The Independence Memorial Museum would be a national monument intended to educate Namibians and tourists about the history of the country’s Independence through historical displays.In this year’s budget allocation to the Department of Works, N$8 million was allocated to the project.