We’ll triumph – President

Source: We’ll triumph – President | The Herald

President Mnangagwa lays a wreath at the East Wing Roll of Honour at the National Heroes Acre.

Fungi Kwaramba
Political Editor
EVOKING the spirit of the country’s gallant heroes and heroines, President Mnangagwa yesterday rallied Zimbabweans to put their shoulder to the wheel in the building of a modern and prosperous society, saying regardless of hurdles in the way, Zimbabwe will triumph.

In his address at the National Heroes Acre to mark the 41st celebration of the country’s heroes and heroines, the President said the future for Zimbabwe is brighter as the Second Republic has laid the requisite framework to achieve the country’s vision to become an upper middle-class economy by 2030.

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Zanu PF Vice President Kembo Mohadi, Cabinet ministers, service chiefs and other senior Government officials attended the anniversary that was also marked across the country’s 10 provinces.

Outstanding Zimbabweans, both living and departed were also honoured with various awards as the Second Republic extended the conferment to civil servants and civilians.

The President said Zimbabweans must draw inspiration from the country’s heroic figures who confronted a highly sophisticated Rhodesian army and emerged victorious in 1980.

“We are a nation of heroes, past and present. We have never let the scale of the challenge defeat us. Our liberation heroes and heroines saw a well-funded enemy, with sophisticated weaponry and said, ‘we will fight them; we will not give in; we will overcome!’

“As the emerging heroes of today, our enemy is poverty, hunger, disease, corruption as well as retarded and delayed development.

“Let us also fight, overcome and win. The developments in the country’s socio-economic sectors under the Second Republic are a reflection of what we are capable of achieving when we are united and peaceful.

“Following the example set by our gallant heroes and heroines we are remembering today, whose exploits we reflect upon, we are our own liberators. Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo,” the President said.

Buoyed by a bumper harvest which will see the country’s agriculture sector growing by 34 percent, the country’s economy is set to grow by 7,8 percent also underpinned by the mining sector which is expected to grow by 11 percent.

Despite challenges brought by the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, the country is experiencing widespread infrastructural development as the Second Republic funds devolution projects in the spirit of President Mnangagwa’s mantra that “no one will be left behind”.

“As we do so, we accept the responsibility of stewardship over the rich national wealth that they bequeathed to us. As a nation, we remain forever emboldened and inspired by the devotion and patriotism of these selfless men and women, to build an inclusive, equitable, and prosperous society encapsulated in our Vision 2030.

“The warrior spirit that runs through our national bloodline must evoke within us, the requisite desire and resolve to claim our destiny of national development, growth, and prosperity.

“Our collective trait as hardworking and honest people must be deployed at all levels and in all sections of the society.

“These should also engender innovation, build resilience and ultimately lead to the realisation of a developed, modern and prosperous Zimbabwe.

“Our country is a constitutional democracy. We will continue to project this as we entrench justice, fairness and equity, which were rallying aspirations, during the protracted liberation struggle.

“The development of our nation should never be deterred or retarded by those bent on derailing the gains recorded since the advent of the Second Republic. With wisdom, courage and boldness let us stand firm against that which seeks to harm our national character, culture and institutions.”

The best way that the country can honour its heroes, the President said is to build “a modern, industrialised, developed and prosperous society envisaged in the country’s Vision 2030”.

“This 2021 Heroes Day Anniversary comes at a time when my Government’s economic reform programme, guided by the National Development Strategy 1 is bearing fruit, with unprecedented successes.”

Fighting evils like corruption and foreign intrusion remain every Zimbabwean responsibility as the country looks up for new heroes, both at home and abroad, who will take the country to the next level.

“In this regard, it is incumbent on us who remain to be the torch bearers and emerge as new heroes and heroines guided by the ethos of our forebears who laid the firm foundation for our country’s development, freedom and independence.

“These include the late Sekuru Kaguvi, Mbuya Nehanda, Queen Lozikeyi, General Mtshane Khumalo, Herbert Chitepo, Jaison Ziyaphapha Moyo, Josiah Magama Tongogara, Dr Joshua Nkomo, Dr Simon Vengesai Muzenda and Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe, among others.

“As we commemorate the 41st Anniversary of our Heroes Day, we are mindful that our war of liberation was fought and won with the support and solidarity of the friendly international community. These diverse, long-standing, fraternal relations have informed the Second Republic’s Engagement and Re-engagement Policy.

“It is the freedom which we enjoy that enables us to think-in-big picture terms, with regards to international relations with other nations. As we engage and re-engage, let no one think they can impose their perspectives or lecture us. The outside world should, therefore, embrace who we are, our rich history and unique national realities. This is how we honour the heroes we celebrate today.”

Also present at the Heroes Acre yesterday were main opposition leader Mr Douglas Mwonzora in a demonstration of a unity of purpose that has been brought by President Mnangagwa.

Only a handful of people were allowed into the sacred shrine in strict observation of Covid-19 Covid-19 protocols, an invisible for that the President reminded the nation to be ever vigilant against.