Our youth must be development-oriented, disciplined, patriotic and loyal

President Mnangagwa

Ndinokukwazisai mose. Ndafara zvikuru kukuonai mose vechidiki nehuwandu hwenyu kubva kumaprovinces enyika yedu, kunyanya avo vabva kuno ku Mashonaland Central. Munodadisa, muri musvo weZANU PF. Ndinotenda zvakare nekunditambira kwamaita muzuva ranhasi.

“I greet you all. I am very happy to see so many of you young people from our country’s provinces, especially those who have come from here in Mashonaland Central. You make us proud; you are the core of ZANU PF. Thank you also for welcoming me today.)

It is my honour and privilege to address this gathering of the young people of our motherland, Zimbabwe, as we commemorate the Munhumutapa Day. The huge attendance and jubilant atmosphere I have witnessed shows that you, the youth of our colossal revolutionary mass party, ZANU PF, are united, patriotic and determined to build our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe, brick by brick and stone upon stone, towards Vision 2030.

Kusangana kwedu kwakakosha, semhuri imwechete, takabatana, tichishanda nesimba kusimudzira matunhu ose, nehupfumi hweNyika yedu yeZimbabwe. Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo. (Our meeting is important, as one family, united, working hard to develop all regions and the economy of our country, Zimbabwe. A nation is built, ruled and prayed for by its own people.)

The celebrations are being held under the theme “Honouring the past, empowering the present and securing Zimbabwe’s future”.

This is a call to action, and for the youth and indeed the entire nation, to preserve our rich liberation history and heritage. It demands that we also look into the future with confidence as we work harder to build a better quality of life for all through production, productivity, innovation, focus and self-reliance.

To achieve our set goals and Vision 2030, the youth must be development-oriented and disciplined as well as patriotic and loyal to our motherland, Zimbabwe.

I am pleased that the youth of our country are making great strides, exhibiting courage and stamina, in all sectors. Well-done. It is humbling that the Youth League chose to commemorate the Munhumutapa Day to coincide with my birthday anniversary.

I sincerely thank you for organising this memorable event. Well-done. I give honour and glory to Almighty God for the precious gift of life, strength, wisdom, guidance and preservation.

Allow me to thank my family for their support throughout my public service, at both the party and Government level. To the party, ZANU PF, and you, our young people, as well as all fellow Zimbabweans, here in the country and those in the Diaspora, I thank you, for your goodwill and continued confidence in our shared national vision to be a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society.

Let us remain united, as one people, drawing from our collective wisdom, skills and abilities to build our motherland, Zimbabwe.

The Munhumutapa Empire remains a great symbol of a sophisticated pre-colonial people, with unmatched organisational systems, astute economic agility, architectural prowess and cultural depth.

Its history highlights who we are as the descendants of Munhumutapa and amplifies the traits that run in our national character and DNA.

Further, it reminds us of the essential capacity we have as the indigenous Southern African societies to govern ourselves.

The Empire commanded far-reaching commercial networks, long before the arrival of colonial rule and harnessed the rich natural deposits of gold and copper for viable trade.

Hence, the quest for regional integration, intra-Africa trade can today draw from that rich past.

The Munhumutapa Kingdom was also founded on courage, innovation, hard work and self-determination. It stood as a monumental centre of trade, wealth and African statecraft. Culture and religion were critically important to the people of this great country.

Similarly, many lessons must be learnt from the rise and challenges faced by the Empire with regards governance, international relations, economy and trade as well as spiritually.

These should guide us in our present times.

It is, therefore, in honour of this background, and for the immortalisation of our rich history and cultural inheritance, that my Government resolved to declare 15th September as Munhumutapa Day and a public holiday.

Advancing a great legacy

The responsibility of advancing this legacy now rests upon our shoulders.

I, thus, challenge you, the youth of today, to always act in our national interest, defending the party and our country.

Rwendo rwedu rwunoda vakatsunga moyo, vanotevera gwara remusangano uye vakazvipira. (Our journey requires those who are strong-hearted, who follow the party’s principles, and who are dedicated.)

So far, the youth, which is the vanguard of our party, has done extremely well by embracing our national vision and promoting unity and peace. Well-done. I challenge the young people to continue playing their part towards building a stronger, modernised, industrialised and prosperous society that leaves no one and no place behind.

The future belongs to those who are prepared to sacrifice and wholeheartedly serve our motherland, Zimbabwe.

Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo. (A country is built, governed and prayed for by its own people).

On its part, my Government will continue to create a conducive environment for youth participation in the governance and economy of our country.

With regards to agriculture, the Presidential Heifer Pass-on and Farm Mechanisation Schemes, as well as the Youth Agriculture Plots Programme, have seen young people being productive participants in the agriculture transformation and national food security agenda.

I urge more of you to now participate in the agriculture value chains and agro-industries.

You must fully utilise new and affordable technologies to make processed products from what is grown on the land.

Always remember that as the youth, excellence is a critical component of your DNA.

The warrior spirit, together with the industrious, innovative character trait that helped to build the Great Munhumutapa Empire, runs within you. Never settle for average, neither be mere spectators in your own country. Work hard and make money. Itai mari. Leverage emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, and deploy your talents and skills towards nation-building.

You must be brave, adventurous and courageous enough to make mistakes and errors in your journey to break new grounds.

The Munhumutapa Housing Scheme is opening opportunities for young people to own homes.

I commend the local authorities who are availing land for these projects. Similarly, the Presidential Youth Empowerment Fund is enabling the youth to set up and grow their enterprises, fostering wealth creation and economic inclusion. Youths are excelling in mining, manufacturing and tourism, among other sectors. Well-done.

I urge the leadership at both party level and within communities to work in unity to ensure that all development projects are a success.

Make clean money

I want to assure you that the ZANU PF-led Government will continue to expand empowerment programmes and opportunities for young people. My wish is to see the broad empowerment and prosperity of our people so that we get to a point where the question is no longer, “why a person has money”, but “why one has no money”. Ndinoshuvira kuti tisvike pachikamu chekuti mubvunzo hawusi wekuti “sei munhu ane mari”, tisvike pakubvunza kuti “sei usina mari”. Itai mari. Make clean money. Mukaita huori, majeri haana kuzara. Bopa yena! (If you engage in corruption, the prisons will be filled with you. We will lock you up).

A prosperous life for all is possible through hard-honest work, discipline and focus.

This is what you, our young people, must work towards.

The Munhumutapa Empire had a thriving import and export system, and a vibrant international relations architecture. Under the Second Republic, “we are a friend to all and enemy to none”.

In October, Zimbabwe assumes the COMESA chairmanship, while for the 2027/2028 period we take up a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council.

New markets, investments, exchanges, innovative partnerships and entrepreneurship prospects presented by these platforms must be pursued for the benefit of our economy.

Under ZANU PF, the youth must always be ready to consolidate solidarity with Youth Leagues of other liberation movements and progressive organisations throughout the world.

These relations must advance trade and exchanges that improve our communities and the nation as a whole.

The spirit and values of Pan-Africanism, self-determination and solidarity should remain central in all our engagements with the outside world. Meanwhile, I challenge you, the young people of our nation, to reject and shun corruption, tribalism, regionalism and other divisive tendencies.

Our forefathers, along with those that fought in the armed liberation struggle, did not endure hardships and sacrifice life and limbs for you, today, to surrender your precious lives to drugs and substance abuse.

No! Tinoti kwete! Hatidi vechidiki vanoparadzwa nezvinodhaka. Pasi nemadrugs. Pasi nemutoriro. Pasi neguka. We want all Zimbabweans, no matter where they are, to pursue lives with dignity and purpose.

Say no to drugs and substance abuse.

I urge you, the young people of Zimbabwe, to also reject crime and violence.

Be respectful, exemplary and disciplined, always seek productive work, education and skills to develop yourselves as well as the communities you live.

Volunteer and do community work to make life better for others. Kumatunhu kwamunogara, zivikanwa kuti uri wechidiki ane hunhu, anoremekedza vakuru, anoshanda nesimba, uyezve, anoda nyika yekwedu (In the communities where you live, be known as a young person of good character, who respects elders, works hard, and loves our country.)

I also challenge the young people of Zimbabwe to remain vigilant, safeguarding our hard-won Independence, sovereignty, freedom, democracy, unity and peace.

Forward ever, backwards never.

In concluding, I once again commend the ZANU PF Youth League, the leadership of Mashonaland Central province, all other provinces, together with other stakeholders for successfully organising this year’s Munhumutapa Day celebrations.

Kumhuri yeMashonaland Central Province, ndinokutendayi nekuwuya, nekunditambira kwamaita. Imwi muri musvo wemusangano wedu weZANU PF. Tinovimba nemi. Kukapisa, kukatonhora munomira nemusangano, munoramba makabatana. Tinokutendai. (To the family of Mashonaland Central Province, I thank you for coming and for welcoming me. You are the core of our party, ZANU PF. We rely on you. Come heat or cold, you stand with the party, and you remain united. We thank you.)

I say thank you, Mashonaland Central.

Thank you for receiving and hosting us; thank you for always standing with our revolutionary party, ZANU PF.

Your resilience, unwavering loyalty, patriotism and love for the party and country was evident during the armed liberation struggle.

Like other communities around the country, you suffered the brutality of the Smith regime, you were displaced, your people were brutally killed and buried in mass graves, among other atrocities.

However, you never sold out the revolution. Makaramba makatsunga. Tinokutendai. (You remained resolute. We thank you).

You are a source of inspiration.

To all the young people who are here, as you go back home to your districts and wards, please carry the message of unity, peace, hard work, production and productivity, as well as development.

Vechidiki veZimbabwe, shandayi nesimba makasununguka munyika yedu yechipikirwa. (Youths of Zimbabwe, work hard freely in our promised land.) Work hard, in freedom; be bold, courageous, innovative and strive to be the best you can be, in our free and independent Zimbabwe, which was paid for by the precious blood of sons and daughters of the soil.

Our success, prosperity and a higher quality of life for all is the best way we can honour those who have gone ahead of us.

Be assured that under the Second Republic led by our party, ZANU PF, the young people will always have the support and backing of my administration.

With these remarks, I wish us all a happy and memorable Munhumutapa Day celebrations. I wish you all journey mercies as you travel back to your respective provinces and districts . . .

God bless you all.

God bless Zimbabwe.

I thank you!

President Mnangagwa made this speech on Tuesday during commemorations to mark Munhumutapa Day, which coincides with his birthday.