The golden hues of a Harare sunset met the ambitious spirit of innovation and cultural memory on 23 July 2025 as Ambassador Kwame Muzawazi, Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of African Knowledge, officially launched the Harare Sunset Skydeck Gazebo at the Museum of African Liberation in Liberation City. As the sun gracefully sank behind the city skyline, it was no ordinary evening. It was a convergence of purpose, identity, and vision, Africa in its rawest, proudest form.
Muzawazi’s address was not a typical ribbon-cutting speech. It was a poetic homage to discovery and heritage. Drawing inspiration from David Livingstone’s first encounter with Victoria Falls, he invited the gathering of journalists, dignitaries, and nature lovers to consider the Skydeck as a shared rediscovery of Harare’s natural charm, “You and I discovered the Harare Sunset,” he said. “We’ve never seen the sunset before, not from such an altitude and not from such a view, which is quite unique.”
The Skydeck Gazebo, perched on a vantage point within the Museum of African Liberation, offers more than just a beautiful view. It is a nature-based conferencing facility that embodies the continent’s evolving narrative, where modernity meets ecology. Muzawazi emphasized that this model of “bush conferencing” eliminates the need for air conditioning or complex infrastructure, instead celebrating the organic ambiance of nature as both a setting and strategy for organizational effectiveness.
The concept, he noted with a touch of humor and resolve, is a sustainable solution to power-intensive urban conferencing. “Air conditioning is responsible for 70% of the power bill in CBD institutions. Here, we end that, with fresh air, no air conditioners, and a lot of fun.” The remarks were met with chuckles and knowing nods, particularly from the media fraternity present, including officials from the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, who Muzawazi humorously teased about returning for their end-of-year party, albeit without complimentary beverages next time.
Yet behind the laughter lay a deep appreciation for what the Skydeck represents: an opportunity to reimagine conferencing, leisure, and memory in distinctly African terms. Muzawazi lauded President Emmerson Mnangagwa for championing the Museum of African Liberation, describing it as “a living organism of African memory and African history.” His words resonated as a reminder that the museum is not just a repository of artifacts, but a functional, breathing space where people can live history rather than simply observe it.
The event ended with African culinary delights and an open invitation to revisit the Skydeck, not just as guests, but as co-owners of the narrative it supports. This facility, Muzawazi noted, is a gift to the people of Harare and Africa, a tribute to the city, the nation, and the continent. With it, Harare gains more than a new venue; it gains a new perspective.
Indeed, on this particular evening, the sun didn’t just set, it revealed.
