marble nkomo
ALL roads lead to Maphisa Growth Point in Matobo District, Matabeleland South, as Zimbabwe celebrates 46 years of self-rule tomorrow.
The atmosphere is already electric, with the symbolic Independence Flame currently weaving its way through the province’s seven districts, lighting a trail of patriotism and remembrance.
This year’s celebrations, held under the theme: “Zim@46 — Unity and Development Towards Vision 2030,” serve as a poignant reminder that our independence is not merely a static date on a calendar, but a living, breathing legacy.
The choice of Maphisa as the host for this flagship national event is a bold statement in the Second Republic’s decentralisation agenda.
For decades, major national milestones were confined to the capital, Harare. However, under the leadership of President Mnangagwa, the script has changed.
By taking the main celebrations to Matabeleland South, the Government is living true to its philosophy of “leaving no one and no place behind.”
This is decentralisation in its most practical form — bringing the seat of power, the prestige of the State, and the eyes of the nation to a region that is a bedrock of the liberation struggle.
Independence Day is a bridge between our past and our future. The theme for this year reflects this perfectly, tying the sacrifices of the gallant sons and daughters of the soil to the modern developmental aspirations of Vision 2030.
It is a call to action for the youth, as articulated recently by Zanu-PF Youth League Bulawayo Province Chairperson, Cde Freedom Murechu, to move beyond seeing the liberation struggle as a footnote in history books and instead embrace it as the foundation of the economic freedom we seek today.
The impact of hosting these celebrations in Matobo goes far beyond the thousands of visitors expected to throng Maphisa Stadium. It is about the permanent footprints of development left in the wake of the festivities.
The rehabilitation of roads, the upgrading of Maphisa and Kezi hospitals, and the construction of modern laboratories at Mahetshe Primary and Secondary schools are not temporary measures, they are legacy projects that will improve lives for generations.
This is the “living legacy” of Uhuru—where the celebration of freedom translates into the delivery of service and infrastructure.
As President Mnangagwa takes to the podium to deliver his keynote address and light the Eternal Flame, the nation must reflect on the unity that brought us here. The Independence Flame, ignited at the Harare Kopje and conveyed via Masvingo to the heart of Matabeleland South, symbolises a united sovereignty that knows no tribal or regional boundaries.
We urge all Zimbabweans, particularly the youth, to turn out in their numbers—whether at Maphisa Stadium or at various provincial centres like White City Stadium in Bulawayo.
Let us celebrate the 46th anniversary of our independence with a clear understanding that while the war for political self-determination was won in 1980, the war for economic prosperity is being fought now through unity and hard work.
Maphisa is calling and as a nation, we must answer with one voice: Zimbabwe is free and together, we are building a prosperous future.
Tomorrow, Maphisa will become the heartbeat of the nation. Zim@46: Unity and Development.
Online Reporter