adminTODAY, Zimbabwe turns 43.
We mark our freedom with pride, hope and zeal, befitting the huge milestone we have achieved in the past four decades.
It’s a journey worth celebrating as we march towards half a century of self-rule, freedom and inclusivity.
As happens annually, a number of festivities have been lined up to mark the day nationwide.
The main celebrations will be held today in Mt Darwin, Mashonaland Central, where President Mnangagwa will address the nation.
This year’s celebrations are being held under the theme “Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo/Ilizwe Lakhiwa Ngabaninilo”.
The theme resonates well with the transformation the country is going through under the Second Republic stewarded by President Mnangagwa.
By rotating the main Independence Day celebrations around different provinces, the Second Republic is living up to its refrain of “Leaving no one and no place behind”.
Last year’s main celebrations were in Bulawayo, marking the first time the event was held outside the capital, Harare.
The 43rd Uhuru celebrations are also special in that the host province will reap the rewards of devolution.
For the first time in history, Mt Darwin High School’s humble Mupfure Stadium will host the prestigious Independence Trophy final pitting the country’s two biggest football teams, Dynamos and Highlanders.
It will also be a dream come true for villagers in Mt Darwin to host the two football giants.
Watching the two football giants in action will certainly change someone’s life, especially young aspiring footballers.
Musically, there will be a star-studded line-up. However, most of the artists in the mainstream music industry have toured and performed in the area and its environs before.
All this has been ushered in by the Second Republic in the spirit of inclusivity.
As we celebrate our 43rd Independence anniversary, we should not forget President Mnangagwa’s call for the eradication of drug abuse.
Drug and substance abuse is the new cancer afflicting the country.
The President has made it clear that his Government will come up with initiatives to curb the production and selling of illicit drugs.
He challenged the police and various stakeholders to take a leading role in the fight against this scourge.
A combined effort is needed in this fight to avoid raising a generation of drug addicts.
Besides drug and substance abuse, there is also a need for stakeholders to combine forces and fight child rape, ritual murders, gender-based violence and sexual abuse.
As we take stock of our achievements at 43, we should also not forget the achievements made by the Second Republic despite operating under the throes of crippling economic sanctions which have crippled the country for the past two decades.
The 43rd Independence celebrations come at a time when Zimbabweans have been promoting a culture of love, unity and harmony.
Hate speech, tribalism and racism should never find residence in our country. Let’s guard our motherland jealously by working hard work and maintaining unity, peace, love and the spirit of Ubuntu at all times.
Only this can enable us to achieve an upper middle-income economy by 2030 in line with the Second Republic’s Vision 2030.
Long live Zimbabwe. Long live our motherland!
Online Reporter