Zim@45: We can see the promised land

IN Zimbabwe, our independence is sacred as it was paid for by blood.

It took more than 14 years of a bloody armed struggle to upend a racist white settler colonial regime that viewed black people as nothing more than draught power.

Incidentally, but fittingly, this year’s commemorations coincided with the Easter holiday, itself centred on the sacrifice made by Jesus — the son of God — to free humanity.

The ultimate sacrifice that is the essence of Easter, therefore, becomes the centrepiece of the Christian faith.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” reads the Bible in John 15 verse 13.

Out of sheer love for the motherland, gallant sons and daughters of the soil selflessly sacrificed their lives.

So, every year, in their remembrance, we not only celebrate the priceless freedom that we continue enjoying but take stock of what we have achieved.

And we can only honour our heroes and heroines by delivering a prosperous Zimbabwe for all.

The period after we took back our land — a major grievance of the liberation struggle — was not easy, as the West, especially the United States and the United Kingdom, sought to punish us for dispossessing their kith and kin.

However, over the past seven years, the Second Republic has been able to put Zimbabwe back on the rails, despite numerous challenges along the way.

After being successfully stabilised, the economy is now growing and beginning to lift living standards across the country.

While a lot still needs to be done, we have to at least pat ourselves on the back for the milestones we have achieved in such a short space of time.

“As we mark this day, we look back at the past with pride, knowing what we achieved as a united and hardworking people,” President Mnangagwa last week told the multitudes that had gathered in Nembudziya for the main Independence Day celebrations.

“From household level up to our respective provinces and the nation as a whole, we are defying the odds, breaking records and realising uncommon development successes.

“The continuing sanctions, climate change-induced shocks and machinations by detractors desperate to see
us divided have not derailed our
course.

“A higher quality of life and prosperous upper middle-income society for many more of our people, in line with Vision 2030, is within sight.”

Indeed, we should be proud.

For a country that continues to be buffeted by sanctions, in addition to many other impediments, what we have achieved thus far is nothing short of remarkable.

Just last year, our farmers managed to produce more than 500 000 tonnes of wheat, which is a record.

But most importantly, this is significantly more than our annual national demand at around 360 000 tonnes.

This feat has been replicated across other sectors as well.

For example, gold output hit a record 36,5 tonnes in 2024.

So, the combined efforts from farmers and miners, among other critical constituencies, have been driving our economic growth.

Last year alone, our exports rose to US$7,4 billion in 2024, up from US$7,2 billion that was realised a year earlier.

Despite the inconvenience of sanctions, we managed to outperform some of our regional peers, whose exports hovered around US$3 billion to US$4 billion.

Had we not been so encumbered, we would have been flying.

But these are not mere statistics, as the impact is now being felt by communities.

Various interventions by the Government to facilitate economic activities have had the welcome effect of boosting rural incomes.

Village business units, some of which are generating up to US$3 000 per month, have been a godsend for many families.

Further, devolution, which has been aggressively spearheaded by the Second Republic, has seen the construction of clinics and schools at a pace unlike no other in recent times.

And all this has been targeted to ensure that learners and patients walk short distances to their destinations.

Overall, this has a bearing on the quality of life of general Zimbabweans.

But, as President Mnangagwa exhorted on Friday, we must always be vigilant and jealously safeguard our peace, freedom and sovereignty.

We should resist attempts to divide us, especially by and through social media, where disinformation and misinformation are the staple.

As a people, we know exactly where we came from and we, no doubt, now know where we are going.

We can see the promised land.

All we need is the discipline, unity, faith and dedication to get there.