What Mnangagwa and Chamisa said on Zimbabwe’s 40th independence anniversary

In building our nation, we must focus on building strong institutions to curtail the vices of the past. Strong institutions are inclusive in both their character and effect. Most countries that have made economic, social and political progress have usually done so on the back of strong institutions.

It is these strong institutions that form pillars of the nation. They provide the social and moral compass. These pillars are the referees that restrain men and women with or without power from indulging in excesses that harm society.

Even nations that have had strong personalities, such as South Korea, have developed strong institutions along the way, placing them in good stead for life long after the departure of the strong leader. Strong institutions must be able to survive governments, which are transient.

Strong institutions are able to resist the corrupting influence of personalities and political factions. Strong institutions stand firm in the face of demagogues and populists.

The first 40 years of our independence have shown us ample evidence of the danger of extractive institutions which benefit only a few elites and their associates. The catalogue of corruption fills many pages. We do not have to look far. The blessings of Chiadzwa diamonds turned out to be

a curse for the local community and the nation at large because of extractive institutions.

In the next 40 years we have a generational challenge to build inclusive institutions and to dismantle extractive institutions. We must decisively deal with corruption. We must build strong and modern infrastructure for our great country. We need spaghetti roads, bullet trains, skyscrapers, SMART agriculture, new smart cities and towns, urbanized smart villages and world-class digital health facilities and digital government.

Going forward, we must rediscover and nurture our national values. Our home-grown constitution has a provision which outlines the founding values and principles of the nation. They include constitutional supremacy, the rule of law, good governance, gender equality and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms.

There are many more values which derive from our culture as African people. They include Ubuntu, fairness, mutual respect, restraint and cooperation. These values which are present in our day to day lives must also inform how we conduct our politics at national level.

Nation-building and economic prosperity require a progressive national vision. All great nations of this world have been driven by a firm national vision. A national vision can outlive its authors. Some nations have continued to pursue visions crafted more than one hundred years ago. We need a collective effort to craft a national vision. Seven years ago, we achieved something outstanding: a national constitution. It was a product of collective effort, not unilateralism. We must use the same spirit to craft a national vision as an economic, political and social compass for our nation. Indeed, we are 10 years to our silver jubilee.

Our target should not be that we should still be here in 2030. Rather, it must be that our nation will be the jewel of the world. We have a limited time remaining to complete a jubilee with great successes.

Let us join hands and combine minds in a new amity, givenness and Oneness derived from our common essence and desire to build a great Zimbabwe that will be the pride of all Africa and the jewel of the world.

The beauty about our circumstances is that the best days of our lives haven’t happened and are yet to come!

This is the beginning of a new era. Let us embrace it. Let us cherish it. We dare not fail.

I would like to assure you again, that the new independence is here. It has arrived. Feel it.

Remember to wash your hands, keep good hygiene, maintain social distance and spread the message.

Remember to pray for our country and indeed the entire world.

Happy birthday Zimbabwe!

God bless you,

God bless Zimbabwe,

God bless AFRICA.

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