Boma: Zimbabwe's Vice President, Kembo Mohadi, highlighted in Boma, eastern Province of Moxico, Angola's role in achieving his country's independence on April 18, 1980.
According to Angola Press News Agency, speaking to the press after visiting the now-defunct Boma training center, where more than 300 Zimbabwean and Angolan soldiers are laid to rest, Mohadi said Angola contributed with its ideas and men to Zimbabwe's independence. Expressing gratitude for the gesture, he reiterated the imminent construction of a school and a memorial to honor the fallen soldiers and perpetuate, through education, the history and friendship of the two countries. Mohadi asked for Angola's support in implementing the projects "as soon as possible."
In turn, the governor of the Province of Moxico, Ernesto Muangala, praised Zimbabwe's projects and promised to improve the communication route with earthworks to facilitate the transportation of construction materials for the memorial and an international school. In 1979, the South African army bombed the Boma region, which housed a military center, resulting in the deaths of more than 300 soldiers from Zimbabwe and Angola. The town of Boma is located 25 kilometers east of Luena, the capital of Moxico Province.
