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ON Monday, Zimbabweans from all walks of life converged at different locations around the country to celebrate Independence Day. The 36th anniversary of Uhuru came as the country is consolidating the gains of independence through forging ahead with policies meant to economically empower the previously marginalised majority black population.
The successful implementation of the land reform programme has seen the emergence of a new crop of farmers to occupy the space left by white commercial farmers. Zimbabwe’s new farmers are growing massive amounts of tobacco and some of them are earning more than they ever dreamed possible.
Zimbabwe is the largest producer of flue-cured tobacco in Africa and occupies fifth position in the world behind the United States, Brazil, India and China.
Industry specialists estimate that production has been increasing steadily since 2010 when farmers harvested 58,5 million kilogrammes of tobacco. Zimbabwe produced more than 220 million kgs of tobacco before the land reform programme and the 2014 figure of 216 million kgs shows that the country will soon surpass the amount of tobacco which white commercial farmers used to produce.
Besides tobacco, there have been remarkable successes recorded by maize, Soya bean and wheat farmers on farms formerly owned by whites.
The government has also been supporting new farmers by availing equipment and inputs. The Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act has spawned a new breed of industrialists in areas previously reserved for whites. The programme has also empowered communities through the Community Share Ownership Trust(s) where companies, mostly mines, are enjoined to contribute to a fund to benefit locals in which they operate.
Thirty-six years after independence, the lot of the generality of Zimbabweans has improved tremendously under the current government despite the economic challenges wrought by sanctions. The resilience of the people of Zimbabwe has been remarkable in the face of naked aggression by Britain and its allies and we salute the astute leadership of President Robert Mugabe who has steered the ship with aplomb since independence in 1980.
We also call on Zimbabweans to continue supporting the government as it strives to economically empower them. By implementing pro-people policies like the indigenisation drive and land reforms, the government is completing a natural process of decolonisation which began with self-rule in 1980.
We are glad that Zimbabwe’s policies are finding resonance in the region and continent with President Mugabe’s chairmanship of both the African Union and Sadc ensuring that value addition and beneficiation — central planks of the country’s economic blueprint Zim-Asset — cascade to the two blocs. Political parties like the Economic Freedom Fighters in South Africa also share Zimbabwe’s dream of economic empowerment of the majority black population and in its independence congratulatory message, the EFF said the country remained an inspiration to the South African liberation struggle.
“The EFF is inspired by the Zimbabweans and their historical lesson shall inform how we engage in our own struggle to return the land to its rightful owners for the total emancipation of our people‚” the party’s spokesperson, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, said.
He said‚ despite “all its weaknesses‚ Zimbabwe stood the test of time regardless of being isolated by world big forces (through sanctions) for its insistence on returning the land to its native populations”.
“Today‚ many Zimbabwean black families own and work their lands‚ something many in the continent do not share. Zimbabwe remains an inspiration to the South African liberation struggle in particular the lesson that without the land‚ decolonisation is incomplete and a social time bomb.”
We are happy that the dream of the pioneers of the African liberation movement lives on through parties such as the EFF and ANC of South Africa. We also urge Zimbabweans to rally behind their government and exercise patience as it works towards growing the economy.
In his Independence Day speech, Cde Mugabe implored Zimbabweans to work for the good of the country and cherish their freedom which did not come on a silver platter. He said the government was committed to improving the welfare of civil servants by matching their salaries to the Poverty Datum Line.
“Government will also continue to find ways of improving the welfare of civil servants,” he said. “It is the desire of Government that salaries progressively match the Poverty Datum Line. Government apologises for the late disbursement of salaries, bonuses and monthly payments to pensioners but, be rest assured that Government is working flat out to improve the situation. Now that the workers have begun contributing towards the pension fund, payment of pensioners will be more predictable and on time.”
We agree with the President and call on Zimbabweans to jealously safeguard the legacy of the struggle by supporting government initiatives to improve their lives.
Online Reporter