The Sunday News
I LOOK forward to returning home soon and to join in the struggle for the economic revival of our country which is so endowed with Agriculture, Industrial and Commerce, and Mining opportunities and with rich human resource bedrock to support our endeavours…My desire is to join all Zimbabweans in a new era where corruption, incompetency, dereliction of duty and laziness, social and cultural decadency is not tolerated.
“In that new Zimbabwe it is important for everyone to join hands so that we rebuild this nation to its full glory, this is not a job for Zanu-PF alone but for all people of Zimbabwe.”
The above statement came from President Emmerson Dambudzo Mngangagwa, last week before he jetted into the country to assume the highest office in the land.
It is a statement that gives pointers to how Cde Mngangagwa wishes and wants this great country to move forward after the resignation of the founding President of the country, Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe.
And in his inauguration speech at a packed National Sports Stadium in Harare on Friday, President Mngangagwa spoke of the need to pursue winning economic policies, a change in work ethic embracing professionalism and efficiency, as well as the need for Zimbabweans to work together to improve the economy and other social aspects of life.
Indeed, as a nation we cannot be held captive by mistakes of the past. We cannot be held captive by hatred or envy of one another or divisions in ethnicity, and we surely cannot be held captive by differences in opinion and preferences because if we do, we lose sight of the big task ahead, which is economic revival as pronounced by President Mngangagwa.
The events that led to President Mngangagwa being pushed out of the ruling party and Government are indeed regrettable.
Nonetheless, the ruling party was soon to gather steam, courage and focus and reverted back to the founding values of the party which guided the liberation struggle and soon readmitted Cde Mngangagwa into the party and gave him the task to lead the party and country to a new era.
We are also cognisant of the commendable work done by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces which moved in to pacify the situation that was threatening to throw the country into further economic and social turmoil, and once again, we say bravo to the men and women in uniform.
The ZDF charmed the country and the world at large in the manner in which it went about the business after launching Operation Restore Legacy, by an intervention meant to arrest potentially volatile social, economic and political situation in the country.
The ZDF assured the nation and the world that it had not staged a coup to unseat then President Mugabe from power, but was targeting some criminal elements around the Head of State that were causing instability in Government and the ruling party. And true to that, Cde Mugabe left office via a civilian and constitutional avenue.
As we move forward, we urge the nation to embrace the new leadership and allow President Mngangagwa to put his feet on the pedal and drive the country in the direction that we all desire -where the economy will tick again, where corruption will be a thing of the past, where social services are available to all-poor and rich, and most importantly, where the ethos and founding values of the liberation struggle can never be traded for anything else.
However, Cde Mugabe might have resigned from his post under pressure from the masses, but he still remains a champion of the liberation struggle and the nation should thank him for services rendered before and after independence.
President Mngangagwa also paid tribute to his predecessor in his inauguration speech.
Furthermore, Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Simon Khaya Moyo added that Zimbabweans should acknowledge Cde Mugabe’s immense contribution to the development of the country before and after independence. He decried Cde Mugabe’s decision to wine and dine with undesirable elements.
“We must, however, acknowledge that he did so much for the liberation of Zimbabwe and indeed as Prime Minister and President post-independence.
He deserves to rest and I believe every Zimbabwean agrees with this position…Our focus should now be to solidify unity, promote peace and proceed with the development agenda for the economic emancipation of our people.
The future is indeed in the people’s hands and their aspirations must be met at all times. We wish him well,” said the party spokesman.
