Friday Mufuzi

Dr Friday Mufuzi, PhD in history (2010), University of Zambia, is Acting Director, Lusaka National Museum, Zambia. At the start of his career, between May 1980 and September 2001, he worked as a secondary school teacher in western and southern Zambia respectively. He has participated in various international conferences, both in Zambia and abroad.  His research interests is focused on the social, economic and political history of Indians in colonial Zambia and the contribution of public history as practiced in museums to academic history.

Dr Mufuzi came to Leiden through a three months visiting fellowship he received from the African Study Centre with the view to utilising its Library which has a huge collection of works on African history in his bid to transform his PhD thesis into a book provisionally entitled “Knowledge from our Ancestors: The Livingstone Museum and its Contribution to Zambian History since 1934”.

The proposed book attempts to examine and illustrate the role the Livingstone Museum played in the reconstruction of Zambian history from its inception in 1934 to 2006. It highlights and examines research activities, publications and exhibitions carried out by the Museum in relation to historical heritage collected in the context of its contribution to Zambian history.

Dr Mufuzi is extremely grateful to authorities of the ASC for giving him the rare opportunity of working in their institution in his endeavour to transform his thesis into a book and hopes to repay back by working as hard as he can. He is also humbled and thankful for being in the company of the institution hardworking, supportive and accommodating staff.