The ManicaPost
PEACE, a sense of unity of purpose, economic creativity and innovativeness, safeguarding independence and mature institutional memory of both fallen and living freedom fighters were the substance of this year’s Heroes’ Day.
In his Heroes’ Day message His Excellency Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa succinctly described where Zimbabwe was coming from, what it is going through and what needs to be done to safeguard the gains of the liberation war and ensure sustainable development and prosperity.
He emphasised that peace was paramount as the experience of the war of liberation should teach people to value non-violent means of resolving issues.
The President paid tribute to those who selflessly committed themselves to the call of armed struggle, bravely took part in it and brought freedom to everyone across the racial, tribal, religious and regional divides.
In an unequivocal appeal for peace the President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces emphasised the need to honour heroes and heroines by dedication to peace.
“Let us honour them (heroes and heroines) by dedicating ourselves to peace. Violence, discord, disunity, hatred, divisions, discrimination, tribalism, regionalism and corruption must be rejected as having no place in the new Zimbabwe.
“Mutual respect, love, equality, peace, commitment, loyalty, cooperation and harmony must now be the order of the day. These values are engraved in our nationhood and indeed are an indispensable trait in our DNA.”
It was a round and comprehensive speech, unequivocal, straight and to the point. The values that we need now and values that will sustain the development and prosperity of the country could not have been louder and clearer.
The onus is on the people of Zimbabwe to take heed, not only take heed, but to be responsible enough to know what will take this country ahead.
It is clear Zimbabwe is in a crisis of economic meltdown, disillusionment, anxiety and even suspicion.
Education has become unaffordable, fuel costs, prices of items in the shops reaching unprecedented levels, power cuts: a plethora of pressures on all Zimbabweans.
There is no better time than now to observe what the state President advises the citizens of this beautiful country to believe, to do and to practise.
Nothing would work more than dialogue now between protagonists of various suggestions of the way forward.
Nothing would be a better time to think and to listen to voices of wisdom.
The answers to the challenges of this country that belongs to all of us can only come from all of us respecting one another, loving one another and contributing faithfully and peacefully towards one goal.
The war of liberation took too much lives and blood for us to be violent and war-mongering.
It is time to miss the late Dr Oliver Mtukudzi. He was always musically pregnant with sense when it came to national issues: Hatidi Hondo!
Everyone must hum, whistle and sing this song with national sincerity.
It is those who did not see the ugliness of war that have an appetite for war.
They do not understand what the President means when he says, “The experience of war makes people value peace all the more.” Who are these people?
Us of course!
Those of us who were in the trenches with the freedom fighters and saw the horror of war, can only listen and listen only to voices of sense and accept what peace there can be in peace . . . as together we struggle in love and harmony towards one Zimbabwe and one nation we all want.
