The Sunday News
ZIMBABWE yesterday marked 35 years of freedom from the yoke of colonialism and there were celebrations in all corners of the country in recognition of this great day, which has not only brought political independence, but has also seen the country doing away with countless vestiges of imperialism.
As we mark 35 years of our Independence we are proud to say that we stand out from many of our African brothers and sisters as we have achieved a lot as we are not only politically independent, but we have also moved mountains in our quest to gain economic independence as well.
Zimbabwe under the astute leadership of President Mugabe has not only accepted political independence, but has taken great strides in addressing the economic imbalances that prevailed in the country during the dark days of the rebel Ian Smith regime. The country has been successful in addressing the land ownership imbalances and has also embarked on the progressive indigenisation programme. All these are manifestations of a revolutionary leadership, which does not believe in cosmetic independence like what we are seeing in other African countries, whose policies are still embedded in the bowels of imperialist nations.
As we celebrate our hard-won independence, which saw a protracted war fought resulting in many of our gallant sons and daughters paying with their lives, we revel in the fact that we are enjoying stability as a country, hold a proud literacy record among the many success stories that we can tell.
However, although some detractors might point to the economic challenges that we are going through as a sign of failure, we want to quickly remind them that here we are talking about a country that has been under sanctions from the Western countries irked by the revolutionary land reform programme since the early stages of this millennium, but because of the resilient leadership and its citizens we have refused to drown in adversity, we are still afloat and managing.
We remind patriotic Zimbabweans that where there is no pain there is no gain and so we should remain proud of our achievements in the face of the onslaught that the imperialist Western countries have thrown at us. We urge fellow citizens to keep their eyes on the ball and not be dissuaded by the imperialist forces at play — we defeated them yesterday and we will win again today.
On the eve of the Independence Day, President Mugabe in his address to more than 600 pupils drawn from various schools across the country during a party the First Family held for them in Harare to celebrate the country’s 35th Independence said young people should be proud of their country and their identity and remain committed to defending the country despite efforts to reverse the progress made since independence.
The President said the celebrations of the country’s Independence were a momentous occasion for both children and adults, adding that the Government had done a lot in the education sector since 1980.
It is against this background that we call on fellow citizens not to lose sight of the bigger picture as the enemy still lurks. Zimbabweans should continue defending this hard-won independence with their might and put their heads together in reviving the economy under the economic blueprint, the Zim Asset. Indeed we should consolidate our unity, peace and economic sovereignty as the theme for this year’s Independence celebrations rightly captures the mood.
