Online Reporter
Elliot Ziwira
Features &Supplements Editor
As the nation converged to mark Munhumutapa Day on Monday, a celebration of Zimbabwe’s illustrious precolonial civilisation that once stretched across vast lands of southern Africa, there was added joy and reflection.
It was also the 83rd birthday of President Mnangagwa celebrated as the people’s President.
In the spirit of Munhumutapa, which symbolises unity, resilience, and shared destiny, President Mnangagwa has consistently called upon Zimbabweans to pull together as one nation, one people.
His vision is anchored on sacrifice, hard work, and unity, values that defined both the Munhumutapa Empire and Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle. Today, they remain the guiding light of the Second Republic under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa.
When he assumed leadership in November 2017, he pledged to build a Zimbabwe that is inclusive, prosperous, and democratic. His inauguration speech on August 26, 2018, at the National Sports Stadium in Harare, remains etched in the minds of many.
“Now is the time for us all to unite as a nation and grow our economy. Let us courageously and diligently embark on a shared journey towards the realisation of our national Vision to transform Zimbabwe into a middle-income economy, with increased investment, decent jobs, broad-based empowerment, free from poverty and corruption by 2030,” the President said, to thunderous applause.
This commitment found expression in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), a blueprint guiding economic transformation from 2021 to 2025. NDS 1 focuses on agricultural productivity, industrialisation, infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and innovation, all designed to uplift every Zimbabwean.
For the President, Vision 2030 is more than a slogan. It is the destination of a collective journey. He sees himself not above the people, but as a servant leader, guiding the nation brick-by-brick, stone-upon-stone, toward the Zimbabwe we all want.
In a nation whose liberation was won through unity across ethnicity, geography, and ideology, President Mnangagwa has been steadfast in urging citizens to cherish peace above all.
“The vision of a new and prosperous Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe we want, is a shared one and transcends political party lines. As your President, I pledge to act fairly and impartially, without fear or favour, as a President of all Zimbabweans,” he said.
This philosophy echoes the spirit of the 1987 Unity Accord, which brought peace to a nation emerging from post-independence conflict. Today, unity remains the bedrock upon which Zimbabwe’s development agenda rests.
President Mnangagwa has continually reminded citizens that violence is alien to Zimbabwean culture, urging instead dialogue, harmony, and inclusivity.
He has consistently walked the talk of being a listening President. His Government has spearheaded projects that touch every Zimbabwean household, embodying his conviction that leaders must be immersed in the people.
Through the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme, millions of households have received inputs and training, making Zimbabwe once again a breadbasket in the region. His call to “support farmers, village by village” has translated into real empowerment.
The modernisation of roads, airport upgrades, and dam construction projects reflect his commitment to industrialisation and connectivity.
Investments in new schools, hospitals, and clinics highlight his pledge to leave no community behind.
In response to Covid-19, his Government prioritised vaccines, ensuring that Zimbabwe emerged as one of the best-prepared countries in Africa.
Under President Mnangagwa’s leadership, Zimbabwe is targeting a US$12 billion mining industry, positioning the nation as a key global supplier of platinum, lithium, and other strategic minerals.
Through investments in innovation hubs at universities and promoting youth entrepreneurship, he has made it clear that the future belongs to the young—and they must be equipped to lead it.
President Mnangagwa’s story is one of determination and providence. From narrowly escaping the gallows as a young nationalist, to enduring 10 years in prison, and surviving poisoning in Gwanda in 2017, he has cheated death three times.
He often says he is alive only because of God’s grace. These trials have reinforced his humility and servant leadership. Having endured pain and sacrifice, he understands the value of life and the weight of leadership.
His survival is not just personal, for it is tied to Zimbabwe’s destiny.
Hence, Munhumutapa Day reminds Zimbabweans of a glorious past where African civilisation thrived long before colonialism. The Munhumutapa Empire was vast, prosperous, and united by trade, culture, and governance. Yet colonialism sought to erase this shared memory, painting Africans as people without history.
Through Munhumutapa Day, President Mnangagwa reconnects the present to the past, instilling pride in African heritage. In so doing, he calls on youths to be heirs to greatness, not mere consumers of borrowed identities.
This is why, as more than 30 000 youths gathered in Zvishavane, the Midlands Province, on Monday, the call was clearer: emulate the spirit of Munhumutapa and the servant leadership of the President—anchored in sacrifice, unity, and hard work.
Zimbabwe’s journey is far from over. Challenges remain; economic pressures, climate change, and external interference, but under President Mnangagwa’s leadership, there is hope. His mantra “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” (a nation is built by its own people) is more than talk. It is an invitation to every Zimbabwean to be part of building a prosperous homeland.
He reassures us: “With love and unity, we will reach the Promised Land, we will build the Zimbabwe we all want, brick-upon-brick, stone-upon stone.”
On that special occasion, as we celebrated Munhumutapa Day and the President’s 83rd birthday, the nation saluted a leader whose life mirrors Zimbabwe’s own struggles and triumphs. For his vision is not his alone. It belongs to the people.
Indeed, the President’s story is the people’s story. His survival is the nation’s survival. His vision is the collective dream of a better tomorrow.
From his youth in the liberation trenches to his years as a statesman, President Mnangagwa has remained a man of the people. His projects touch lives across villages, towns, and cities. His words inspire unity across divides. His leadership reflects sacrifice, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between leader and people.
Therefore, as we celebrated Munhumutapa Day on September 15, we also celebrated the President at 83 — a servant leader whose life testifies to the destiny, determination, and unity that shape nations.
The Zimbabwe he envisions is not just his dream, but the aspirations of every Zimbabwean who dares to believe that tomorrow can only be brighter.
Long live, the people’s President!
