Happy birthday Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe celebrates her Independence Day today. It, as always, will be a big moment that came about thanks to the gallant sons and daughters of the soil who sacrificed their lives to fight for the freedom of their motherland from the shackles of British colonialism. Some died during the liberation war, others survived to see Independence. But the struggle against colonialism actually started the day when colonialists set foot on Zimbabwe in 1890. They knew that the land was theirs yet there was a group of foreigners from a far-away place and so different from them, who were grabbing their land and livestock, enslaving them, taxing them and setting laws for them.
The anger grew and six years later, in 1896 blacks rose against the invading whites in the First Chimurenga/Umvukela. Despite their commitment to stave off white domination, they were defeated. Many more years of repressive, despotic and racist white rule followed. Racial segregation against blacks in their own land got more systematic; draconian laws were put in place and any slight moves to challenge the status quo was crushed ruthlessly.
Before the 1896 national uprising, the Ndebele people had risen, in 1893 in a regional war but were easily defeated.
However, in the late 1950s blacks started mobilising around popular grievances and started forming political parties and transforming their struggles to the more confrontational. The National Democratic Party was formed in the late 1950s. Needless to say, it was banned but it was followed by Zapu, which later split with Zanu emerging. A few years later the political parties – Zanu and Zapu launched an armed struggle through their military wings, Zanla and Zipra. Better equipped, more organised and informed and well supported by well-meaning countries such as Mozambique, Zambia, Angola, Libya,
39th Algeria, Tanzania, China, Cuba, Yugoslavia, Russia and Botswana the freedom fighters defeated colonialism. Independence came on 18 April 1980.
The theme for this year is “Zimbabwe at 39, Embracing Devolution for Vision 2030.” The theme is in tune with the programme by the Second Republic to implement devolution of Government authority in terms of the general principles of provincial and local government enshrined in section 265 of the Constitution. The theme also highlights the importance of devolution of power in the efforts by the Government to attain middle income status by 2030.
President Mnangagwa will lead the nation today in marking this very important day on the national calendar while provincial events are lined up across the country. He officiates at the main event at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
The President gave interviews to our sister paper, The Sunday Mail and ZBCtv at the weekend as part of the build-up to today’s celebration. He implored Zimbabweans to remain united, cherish peace and defend the country’s sovereignty and independence, saying these cardinal principles should not be sacrificed. He emphasised the need for citizens and political parties to embrace the spirit of dialogue, inclusivity and tolerance to foster nation-building and spur economic development.
In his ZBCtv interview to be aired today, he spoke about devolution.