Online Reporter
Sunday Mail Reporter
FORMER President Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe, who died on September 6, 2019, was a revered frontline statesman who fearlessly championed the political and economic emancipation of Southern Africa and the continent, President Mnangagwa has said.
In a message yesterday to commemorate the passing on of the late founding President of Zimbabwe, the President said the various transformative indigenisation and economic empowerment programmes that were spearheaded by Cde Mugabe “gave back Zimbabweans their self-belief and respect, thus building the resilience to overcome the illegal sanctions imposed on the country”.
He described Cde Mugabe as resolute in promoting and protecting the human rights of all Zimbabweans.
“The late President’s renowned political astuteness and zeal for social, economic and political empowerment of Zimbabwe’s indigenous people impelled him to champion the Land Reform Programme, which addressed historical land ownership imbalances emanating from the colonial era,” he said.
“His undying quest to economically empower indigenous farmers and to transform the lives of all Zimbabweans saw him implement various indigenisation and economic empowerment programmes which gave back Zimbabweans their self-belief and respect, thus building the resilience to overcome illegal sanctions imposed on the country.”
Revered statesman
President Mnangagwa said beyond liberating and empowering his fellow countrymen, Cde Mugabe played a crucial role in liberating and uplifting the region and the continent.
“A freedom fighter par excellence and veteran nationalist, the late Cde RG Mugabe was a revered frontline statesman who fearlessly championed the political and economic emancipation of Southern Africa and our continent of Africa,” he said.
The late Cde Mugabe, President Mnangagwa added, belonged to a generation of fearless nationalist leaders who fought for the liberation of Africa.
They included Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere of Tanzania, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, Samora Moises Machel of Mozambique, Agostino Neto of Angola, Sam Nujoma of Namibia, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo of Zimbabwe and Nelson Mandela of South Africa.
“True to his stature, Cde Mugabe dedicated his life to fighting apartheid, promotion of Pan-Africanist ideals and African renaissance and to encouraging solidarity and commitment for the development of Africa and the downtrodden, disenfranchised masses of the world,” said the President.
He said the late Cde Mugabe endured significant personal sacrifice during the liberation struggle against colonial rule, including being incarcerated for 11 years by the colonial settler regime.
“In honour of his exploits and to serve as an enduring legacy worthy of emulation, the Second Republic added a National Honours and Awards category in his name, in the area of human capital development,” said President Mnangagwa.
He also said the Second Republic is committed to preserving the legacy of the late Cde Mugabe.
“As we remember our late President, the Second Republic once again rededicates itself to preserving the legacy of Cde RG Mugabe by winding up the successful National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and preparing for NDS2, guided by the goal to have a society that is free, democratic and prosperous, which leaves no one and no place behind through inclusive development.
“We commit to the revolutionary icon’s enduring refrain that Zimbabwe will never be a colony again, a mantra which finds expression in our national guiding philosophy of ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo!” added President Mnangagwa.
“May the soul of the late great freedom fighter and liberator, veteran nationalist, frontline statesman, Pan-Africanist, champion of political and economic liberation of Africa, and a luminary leader, rest in eternal peace.”
