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sacrificed their lives.
“At the end of it all, there was victory. Takakunda muvengi.”
President Mugabe, however, implo-red all leaders and their followers to safeguard the country.
“Our independence marks an authority, a sovereign obligation to look forward. Look forward in taking our country from yesterday to today, today to tomorrow, what should our tomorrow be.”
President Mugabe said Zimbabwe should not forget the obligation of protecting the country’s independence.
“Our people require to be looked after. They require to be protected, not as second-class citizens, not people without freedom of being safe from violence.
“They are a totally free people. Each and every one of them wants to live in peace. We should respect the peace of the people,” he said.
“Whatever Government you choose has an obligation to protect the sovereignty and the succession of Government guided by the fact of our independence in 1980.”
President Mugabe said the Government had a responsibility to look after the people.
“Your responsibility is not to listen to what the people bid you to do, but what you need to do for them.”
He called for unity between leaders and ordinary people.
“The happiness we enjoy today is to allow others to enjoy the fruits of our independence.
“All forms of violence, all forms of fighting and all forms of struggle that are of a violent nature should be by-gone.
“They should not be allowed to interfere with our happiness. We have done wrong to our people as political leaders because we were violent, we were fighting among each other.”
President Mugabe said while society had learnt to work in harmony, intra- and inter-party violence had continued to afflict political parties.
“We must take care and caution that the past is buried and care for free belonging.
“Membership should not be forced, people should vote freely for the party of their choice.
“Tirikuenda kuma elections. Nhamo dzatovamba. Hanzi ini handifanirwe kupikiswa. Hatidi izvozvo. Uriani? Ko vaMugabe vakapikiswa wani?
“It’s happening in the parties. When it’s between the parties during campaigns, we want peaceful elections.”
He said the political leadership would continue to engage in dialogue over violence.
President Mugabe said Zimbabwe should always remember that independence came through a protracted, long, arduous and tough war.
“The people suffered because of a violent struggle to dislodge a fortified and well-armed colonial regime.
“We are proud of that legacy of a total sovereign country with control of its vast natural resources.”
He said: “I know the problems we suffered in the jails. The unmarked graves everywhere, the thousands of people who died, some buried in mass graves.
“Those who sacrificed their lives for us to be happy. We should remember why mufaro wedu uzere, kutambura kwakaita vamwe vanhu.”
President Mugabe said it was, however, everyone’s obligation to defend that independence.
“It is our obligation as leaders, the ordinary people and security forces to maintain that peace.
“The peace needs to be guaranteed at every stage, guaranteed, not only by the ordinary people, but also guaranteed by our security arms.”
He said everyone has a right to life as a Zimbabwean.
“Hazvina kukwana kuchengetedzwa nekuona kuti mapenzi arikunze aya haatiuraye.
“In times of hunger Government should look for food for its people, therefore Government must fight hunger for the people.”
President Mugabe bemoaned the time taken by Copac to finish the constitution-making process.
“It is now taking us too long to finish. We as the principals are worried and we are demanding the draft to be delivered to us so that we can go for a referendum,” he said.
President Mugabe said the conclusion of the constitution-making process would lead to the holding of elections.
Online Reporter