The Sunday News
Africa Moyo, Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWEANS must take good care of the country’s natural resources such as gold, platinum, diamonds, lithium and the land, all of which were given by God, President Mnangagwa has said.
Speaking at the Zion Christian Church’s annual Easter Passover Festival at Mbungo Estate in Bikita, Masvingo Province, on Sunday, the President said citizens must continue to work hard to feed the nation, modernise, industrialise and grow the economy to lift people out of poverty and into prosperity.
The festival was attended by more than 150 000 congregants.
Said President Mnangagwa: “Your theme for the year, ‘Let us focus on our father’s business’ which is taken from Luke 2 verse 49, reminds us that our works and activities here on earth must also be pleasing to the Almighty God.
“Our focus and resolve are to be good stewards over the resources which God has given us. We must continue to work harder to feed ourselves, modernise, industrialise and grow our economy, towards lifting many more people out of poverty into prosperity.”
Since 2018, President Mnangagwa has been rallying the people to love their country and work hard to make it prosperous, since no one will come from other countries to develop Zimbabwe.
The philosophy, “Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo”, which was coined by the President, continues to gain traction across the country with many people, including those that are working in the Diaspora, coming back home to explore avenues they can pursue to develop their motherland.
The President said as Zimbabweans strive to develop their country and protect the natural resources they have, “the Almighty God will surely be pleased with us”, and quoted 3 John 1 Verse 2, which says, “I wish that you will prosper, even as your soul prospers”.
He added that as demanded by God in Jeremiah 17 verses 7 to 8, Zimbabwe was blessed as its trust is in the Almighty God, and like a tree planted by water which sends its roots by the river, does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not worried in the year of drought, for it does not stop to bear fruit.
“This year, many of our people will not harvest much because our crops were badly affected by the drought due to climate change.
“However, our trust remains in Almighty God. It is written in Psalms 36 verse 6 that Jehovah God ‘preserves both people and animals’. Famba Zion!
“On its part, our Zanu-PF Government has put in place measures to ensure that food and drought relief for affected communities, is availed in time. No one will starve from hunger. Tinovimba naJehovah,” said the President.
Many parts of the country that require food assistance have started getting maize from the Government.
Recently, residents of Nyabira just outside Harare received their first allocation, and many beneficiaries thanked President Mnangagwa for the support but called for stricter measures to ensure those in need get all the food from Government instead of a few people, especially those that distribute, setting aside lots of quantities for themselves.
Again quoting from the scriptures, President Mnangagwa said his administration was aware that “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead” (James 2 verse 26).
In this regard, the President said Zimbabwe continues to scale up efforts to mitigate against climate change.
“We are building more dams and also making sure that irrigation infrastructure is in place across all our communities. Our people are being capacitated to guarantee household food security. The borehole drilling programme and establishment of nutritional gardens are ongoing and will be accelerated.
“We remain with great hope and confidence that we have a brighter and more prosperous future.
“There is light at the end of the tunnel. Muna Jeremiah 29 verse 11, Jehovah vanoti; ‘I know the plans I have for you, not to harm you but to give you a future and hope’.
“Let us continue to share love, kindness and good works, regardless of our weaknesses and differences. We should adopt new ways of spreading our Christian faith with added vigour so that more and more people in our great motherland, Zimbabwe, come to know and accept God’s love,” said President Mnangagwa.
