“The final countdown before the launching of the new State of Zimbabwe has now begun. Only a few hours from now, Zimbabwe will have become a free, independent and sovereign state, free to choose its own flight path and chart its own course to its chosen destiny.”
On the eve of Zimbabwe`s
independence day celebrations, these were the words that were spoken by then
Prime Minister Robert Mugabe. They heralded the dawn of a new era in a country
emerging from years of brutal conflict that had ravaged the very fabric of its
existence. With an unyielding hope and a resolute faith, every Zimbabwean
looked to a new Zimbabwe full of promise. A Zimbabwe, in which each individual
though with differing dreams and ambitions, could enjoy the land of their
inheritance and by the fruit thereof, be nourished.
Zimbabwe is and has always been a
land of promise. Blessed with abundant resources and a strong willed people who
have time and again risen above adversity to forge ahead in the face of
insurmountable adversity; the full potential of the nation however, still remains
untapped. The sad reality is that the country has not breached the realm of its
unimaginable promise.
In spite of the seemingly great
chasm between the hopes and dreams of Zimbabweans across this great land and
the realization of those ambitions, Zimbabwe`s script still remains
uncompleted. While the cynics will be quick at every turn to point out the failures
and unfulfilled promise the country has had to endure; that cannot be what
defines our journey as a unified people. Indeed, Socrates wisdom tells us that,
‘an un-examined life is not worth living’. We do not therefore have to look at
our past blindly, ignoring our shortcomings as a republic over the years.
Instead we must look back at the past through a lens that allows us to learn
from our failures and project further into the future, to horizons only eyes of
faith can carry us.
As diverse as we are in our
backgrounds, we all as Zimbabweans are knit closely together in that we all
have the same shared vision of what the nation we are so proud to belong to
should be. A Zimbabwe where political independence translates to economic and
social freedom, a society where the virtues of hard work and perseverance are
afforded the recognition they so richly deserve. A country with better schools
for our children, a functioning health care system for its growing population,
A nation where anyone willing and able to work will get meaningful employment.
This is the Zimbabwe we all desire, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or
political affiliation. While we may differ on the path to take to arrive at our
destiny, our union reminds us that there is more that unites us than that which
divides us.
Some of this country`s finest
moments have come when everyone wore the banner of nationalism and put country
first above any individualistic aspirations. At a moment when we are faced with
a severely depressed economy, it is this very spirit of nationhood that can
only see us through this period of stagnation. Scripture tells us that, “ we
are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair,
persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We have had to
witness tremendous difficulties that have threatened the attainment of our
goals as a country. The impediments to our progress are still present, and have
shaken our nation to the core. Yet out of this rabble, there is undeniable
potential of what this nation could rise up to be.
Let no one be under any illusion.
The road ahead will be long. It will require every ounce of determination and
grit, if we as a nation are to rise above the rising tides we have had to
contend with as a nation.
Again, cynics will be quick to
dismiss all this as mere rhetoric. It is understandable, that many of us may
feel this way, after all; the events of the last decade have done little, if
anything at all to inspire confidence in our politics or leaders. There are
many without jobs, decent shelter, access to electricity and sanitation. We
still witness thousands who do not know where their next meal is going to come
from, or what tomorrow is going to bring, and this sums up where we presently
are as a country. Yet we must avoid the temptation to settle and readily accept
these present circumstances as our fate; the totality of our being as
Zimbabweans.
We are not a people lacking in
faith! Ours is a faith that is sure and firm. Yes, that faith has been tested
and will continue to be tested, but collectively as a people, we must keep the
faith and trust that our tomorrow will be better than our yesterday. This is
the message we must reaffirm to one another. This country has come too far, for
it to slide back into a downward spiral of stalled progress. Scripture reminds
us that ours is a walk of faith not of sight, and in the flight to our destiny,
we must keep that faith and not lose hope.
Now is not the time to allow the
same pettiness that has been divisive to our nationalistic fiber, to find abode
in our country. Let us then keep the
faith in this beautiful land. This is our home, and ultimately, the
responsibility for shaping this nation into what we want lies solely on us. Precept
upon precept, shoulder to shoulder, we must work for a prosperous Zimbabwe, and
there is no doubt in my mind that if we remain diligent, we will get to our
intended destiny.
As we so often pray to our father
above in our national anthem; may the Almighty protect and bless our land.
I like your optimism about the future of Zimbabwe. However, Zimbabwe will ony suceed if we subordinate our personal interests to the country's interests, which unfortunately is not the case at the moment. I think we are being held back by partisanship, greed, corruption and the lack of a collective vision for the country.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to go over this. Appreciate your insights as well.
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