Zimbabwe @46 …rain, renewal and a town re-awakened

HEAVY downpours submerged Maphisa in the early hours of Saturday as Zimbabwe marked 46 years of Independence with showers that felt less like an inconvenience and more like a final, emphatic flourish to a season of abundance in Matabeleland South.

In a region more accustomed to dust than deluge, the clouds started telling their own story early in the morning, with an ominous dark ink spreading itself across the skies, seemingly unnoticed by the thousands making the trek to Maphisa Stadium.

The downpour, when it came, tested their resolve, but did not dampen their spirit.

Even as the first drops fell, then quickly swelled into a torrential sheet of rain, the crowd held its ground. Umbrellas bloomed, shoes sank into wet earth. Clothes clung to skin. Spirits however, did not waver.

Zimbabwe was turning 46, and nothing could stand in the way of a celebration that, to many in Maphisa, felt like it had been a long time coming.

A current of electric excitement seemed to run through the entire stadium, it got amplified even further when dignitaries, including Cabinet ministers, Vice Presidents and service chiefs started trooping into the venue.

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The loudest cheers of the day were reserved for President Mnangagwa, whose arrival spurred a raucous reaction from a crowd that seemed as bewildered as they were excitement. Suddenly, the independence celebrations were not a distant event that they could cherish through their television screens.

The President was here and in the flesh. All of it was real. In that moment, even the showers that had threatened the festive spirit seemed like a fast fading memory as festivities kicked into fresh gear.

In his remarks, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Zhemu Soda said the rains, which for a moment threatened to douse the excitement of such a festive occasion, were a sign of divine and spiritual approval of the country’s current trajectory.

“Your Excellency, you may recall that last year in Nembudziya we received the rains on the 18th of April. And similarly this year, we have received the rains today here in Maphisa. So, Your Excellency I inquired before some elders what is the meaning to this?

“Their answers were excellent. Raining on a special occasion like Independence Day is special, a sign of positive omen. Number two, it is a sign of ancestral approval and number three it is a sign of prosperity for our nation,” said Dr Soda.

“Therefore, as we continue to celebrate we must celebrate that our vision, Your Excellency Vision 2030, is unstoppable.”

In life cycle terms, a 46-year-old is regarded as middle aged, a stage in life marked by physical changes like decreased agility and the sudden revelation previously unknown ailments pains start to become prevalent.

Random aches start to spring all over the body, and it takes more than a few pills to chase away some of these dull pains.

If the last few months in Maphisa were anything to go by, Zimbabwe appears to be that rare 46-year-old who bucks this trend.

When Maphisa was chosen as the venue for this year’s celebration, the nation sprung to life, decisively enacting a projects that are set to be the legacy of the country’s 46th independence celebrations.

Roads, classroom blocks, laboratories, cultural and heritage centres are just some of the projects that have been undertaken on the path towards this year’s celebrations.

Yesterday, thousands made the pilgrimage to the brand new Maphisa Stadium, and the overwhelming feeling among those gathered was that they were participants in the making of an unforgettable chapter in the country’s history.

Ms Barbara Moyo, a resident of Maphisa, said she had never thought that she could one day see Independence Day celebrated in the area, as she was resigned to the fact that it was something she could only see on television.

“We have always celebrated Independence Day with the rest of the country but this was something that we thought we could only see on TV. I never thought that this was something that we could enjoy from a distance and it’s been a pleasure to watch all the developments taking place over the last few months. It has made us feel appreciated,” she said.

Mr Owen Maseko, a local entrepreneur, said the Independence Day celebrations had changed the face of life in Maphisa, as the last few months had seen them record brisk business.

“What we have seen in Maphisa in the last few months has been beyond our expectations. Of course, we are grateful for the roads, the school laboratories and everything else but for us, the financial benefits have been great as well,” he said.

“Our children got jobs working on these projects and the money they earn has been circulating in the economy. We can’t ask for more because to some of us, these financial strides are what independence is all about,” he said.