Chronicle Editor
IN his New Year message to the nation, President Emmerson Mnangagwa called on all Zimbabweans, whether at home or abroad, to work hard towards making this country great again. He made an impassioned plea to his fellow countrymen/women to engage with the Government, its institutions and agencies for a more transparent, just, accountable and responsive governance, committing his administration to continue being a listening and responsive one.
President Mnangagwa said Government would continue to work tirelessly to create a peaceful and stable political and socio-economic environment which will enable Zimbabwe to be a prosperous nation and to realise its full potential. In this regard, the President declared 2018 to be a year for all Zimbabweans, a year of progress and a year of credible, free and fair elections.
“The New Year will undoubtedly have immense opportunities and its full share of challenges. But if we remain united as one people, nothing is insurmountable. Let us resolve to collectively work hard for the betterment of our country. Let us strive more than ever before to be united in all our endeavours,” Cde Mnangagwa said.
Quoting a scripture from the Bible, the President said: “For it is indeed good and pleasant when God’s people live together in unity and harmony.” (Psalms 133v1). He reiterated his call for unity of purpose among the generality of Zimbabweans, saying a new Zimbabwe could only be possible if everyone is working in common purpose towards a single goal. “Indeed no one person or institution has a monopoly of ideas.
“Let us equally commit to honesty, transparency, accountability and discipline to ensure accelerated national development and progress. Collectively we can build a new democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe,” Cde Mnangagwa said. The President’s message is instructive in that it builds on the progress his Government has made since his inauguration in November last year and seeks to foster unity among Zimbabweans who have been polarised along political lines for so long.
So far, Cde Mnangagwa has shown that his Government is an open one, willing to engage with Zimbabweans of all persuasions and pragmatic enough to admit the wrongs of the past, immediately correcting some of them while laying out a roadmap towards righting mistakes made by the previous administration. It is critical to note that the President has been leading from the front in this regard and demonstrating the seriousness required to extricate this country from the myriad of challenges confronting it.
Cde Mnangagwa did not break for the festive holidays but continued knuckling down to the business of rebuilding this country at a time when many Zimbabweans were taking much needed time off to be with their families over Christmas and New Year. Indeed a new work ethic is required in all spheres of Government if Zimbabwe is to turn the corner and we applaud the President for showing the way. Zimbabweans must realise that the time for mindless political bickering/posturing is over and an opportunity has presented itself for them to get down to the hard work of making their country great again. By committing to transparency, honesty, responsiveness and accountability, President Mnangagwa is telling Zimbabweans to present their grievances in whatever form to the Government and see if they will not be attended to expeditiously.
On this note, we are extremely disappointed with events that happened in Bulawayo on New Year’s Eve when the President was at the ZITF for a Thanksgiving and Dedication Service which was well attended by people from different denominations. A motley crew of activists decided to take the opportunity for a sideshow when they demonstrated against what they termed injustices of the past. They were arrested as they were obviously disturbing the smooth flow of proceedings but were eventually released without charge by the courts.
What this incident illustrates is that there are some Zimbabweans still trapped in the past where political activism had become a career for some in the NGO sector (a lucrative one for that matter) and are struggling to adapt in the new dispensation which is focused on economic development. We are glad that the Government has refused to be sidetracked by a few malcontents bent on pursuing self-serving agendas at a time when the whole country is seized with pressing national issues. The Government’s open door policy ensures that anyone with a grievance can approach the relevant department to seek redress and in the case of the activists who demonstrated at the Trade Fair, they could have sought audience with Vice President Kembo Mohadi who is in charge of the National Healing, Peace and Reconciliation portfolio.
We hope that now that they have been released, they will direct their concerns to the Government in a proper manner. In the meantime, we urge Zimbabweans to continue supporting their Government as it carries out the arduous task of getting this country working again.
Online Reporter