We must play our part in building Zimbabwe

Dr Obert Moses Mpofu

TIME is the most important resource there is.

It is, in fact, all we have.

All of us will be judged by how well we have used our time.

As patriots, we must strive to use our time effectively towards the benefit of our beloved nation.

Different times have different challenges that require tailored solutions.

The path to self-determination is not an easy one.

All of us, in our different capacities, are required to carry our weight.

Each generation must choose its battles or contend with failure.

We all have an equal opportunity to achieve great things.

I come from a generation that placed love of the country above everything else.

In fact, some of us who fought the war of liberation against oppressors are alive today because there are those who died whilst defending us in the quest for freedom.

They paid the ultimate price.

The generations that came after need not face the same challenges nor wage the same wars we did.

We crawled so that they could walk, and they must ensure that future generations can run.

We all love Zimbabwe equally — maybe some more than others.

This is the only country we are ever going to have.

This is home.

My generation was tested and was not found wanting.

We brought back the country that had been lost for close to a century.

Now that the country is firmly in our hands, the current generation must choose how they want to proceed.

Well, at least they have a choice; we gave them a choice by liberating the country.

During our time, we did not have a choice.

There was only one way out, which was to liberate our beloved country.

The current generation must choose if they want to destroy everything that we worked so hard to build or if they want to be the ones who push for the total emancipation and success of our people.

They are duty-bound to protect the gains we made and also take the nation forward. Zimbabwe, as we know it, has been built on the blood of those who perished trying to reclaim it.

Their efforts were clearly not in vain.

Now that we have laid down a firm foundation, there is a great deal of work that must be undertaken to ensure we face the future with determination and hope.

While they say Africa, as a continent, is at a great disadvantage, I think otherwise.

We have all the resources we need, including the most youthful population in the world.

That should give us a massive advantage.

The war that the current generation should be fighting, which is an economic one, is to get the most out of our resources.

For a long time, we have been cheated out of our resources by being paid far less than we deserve.

For our people to achieve economic emancipation, there is need for them to leverage their resources and get the best possible deal at every turn.

As Zimbabwe journeys towards prosperity, current and future generations should know and define their roles.

They will certainly be put to the test.

Each one of us must be able to play their part in building Zimbabwe.

We are all expected to show up and play our role for our nation to take its rightful place.

As we labour towards achieving our vision, let us not be found wanting.

We must make the most of our time to benefit our beloved Zimbabwe.