‘Independence Day belongs to all Zimbabweans’

Farirai Machivenyika

Senior Reporter

WITH the country set to celebrate its 43rd independence anniversary tomorrow, President Mnangagwa has said the day should be cherished and belongs to all Zimbabweans in their broad totality.

The President said this yesterday in his weekly column in The Sunday Mail where he noted that it was the responsibility of every Zimbabwean to contribute towards the development of the country.

In line with Government’s devolution agenda, the main national celebrations will be held in Mt Darwin, Mashonaland Central province.

“The story and tapestry of our struggle for national Independence combines all tribes, all regions, all tongues, all creeds and all colours.

“It is a political construct from our collective endeavour and sacrifice. That fact alone makes Zimbabwe ours together, regardless of place of birth, tribe, region, language, creed, colour or culture,” President Mnangagwa said.

“All these become riches and attributes which endow our land, adorn our freedom and go towards making our collective national identity. They live side by side; blend in harmony and in perfect peace. This is the diversity we gather to celebrate in two days’ time.

“We all belong; we all must belong, feel sheltered and at home under one national flag, and singing one national anthem in so many tongues as our God and heritage gave us. Unity, peace and love must bind us, for all times and across generations.

“The Zimbabwe our heroes freed

from shackles of settler colonialism and handed down to us, today becomes the land we till, the land we grow, seek and strive to prosper. It becomes our daily chore and vocation; indeed, our collective assignment to which there should never be any sense of fatigue.

“We must grow it; we must modernise it so we prove to be its worthy children and inheritors.”

President Mnangagwa said the country’s development agenda of becoming an upper middle-income society by 2030, as outlined in Vision 2030, required hard honest work from all citizens.

“There is no magic wand towards this goal; only blood, sweat and hard, honest work by each and all. We must put all hands-on deck, break the clod, turn and till the soil so its cultivated abundance nourishes us all.

“We must dig beneath, bore deep so its hidden treasures become tangible riches that prosper us equitably, leaving no one and no place behind.

“Today, thanks to our freedom and independence, the land continues to reveal its hidden treasures to us, it’s children, forever reminding us to be provident stewards. We owe this land and its riches to generations to come,” he said.

The President said Zimbabwe was endowed with vast mineral resources whose exploitation should benefit all citizens.

He said on its part, Government was reviewing mining policies to maximise benefits due to the country.

Already, mining houses are now required to pay part of their royalties in the actual mineral for the benefit of future generations.

“Our mining sector continues to positively unravel. New and more mineral deposits continue to be discovered, putting us into the top league of mining nations.

“Mashonaland Central, our host province, is no exception. Our minerals are a unique heritage we must savour as Zimbabweans; indeed, one we must guard jealously so it is not stolen from us, whether through outright reconquest or through corporate wile and guile,” President Mnangagwa said.

“We need to be vigilant all the time, knowing full well that the unravelling global order is not always friendly to small but richly endowed countries like our own. Zimbabwe’s subsoil assets must prosper Zimbabweans and generations of Zimbabweans yet to come. We are already reviewing our mining policies, including policies governing royalties, so Zimbabwe benefits the most from its subsoil, finite endowments.

“The second term of the Second Republic will see far-reaching decisions in the mining sector. Any partnerships we enter into on our finite, non-renewable resources must put Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans first.

“Above all, our commitment to providing for generations to come must go beyond mere pronouncements and platitudes; we must walk the talk, indeed show through stockpiles of strategic minerals and assets that we plan to provide for generations yet to come. Improvident policies have no place under the Second Republic.”