Let’s love our country, strive to make it the best
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A MAN’S country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle and patriotism is loyalty to that principle.”
The above quote from George William Curtis, an American writer and public speaker, speaks volumes about the importance of patriotism, one of the important national ethos that is often overlooked.
Love for one’s country is undoubtedly one of the virtues that imbues people with a sense of loyalty and a desire to coexist peacefully with others, regardless of religion, political and cultural background.
With only a few days to go before the nation celebrates its hard won independence anniversary, it is important to introspect on how patriotism on its own aided in the liberation of the country as Zimbabweans fought on the same side to ensure that the country would be liberated from the yoke of the oppressor.
With no strong constitution to back their wish except their unity of purpose and love of one’s country, patriotism won the day.
It was the wish to see a liberated Zimbabwe, that saw thousands leave their families, well-paying jobs and long cherished goals to take up arms and fight the enemy.
Faced with possible death and no prospects of a reward even if they returned alive, it was the mere love of their country and their birth right that ignited the fire of patriotism that was burning during the turbulent times.
That patriotism should now be carried to another level in support of the National Youth Training programme that Government has since re-established.
The youth initiative, which was suspended in 2018, is an important youth programme critical in nurturing and promoting patriotism among the youth.
It, among other things, incalculates a clear sense of national identity and respect for national values.
The re-introduction couldn’t have come a better time for a country that is trying to further consolidate its independence through robust economic programmes to better the lives of its people.
That achievement would need to be matched with patriotism, discipline, hard work, loyalty and honesty.
If anything, the re-introduction of
Youth officers have been helpful in times of emergencies the youth service programme should nations bent on making the country be strategic in restoring and strengthungovernable. ening a heavily-polarised nation, badly The efforts to ensure the developin need of a common ideology that ment of independent Zimbabwe on can bind people together outside their the basis of national interests, duty and political persuasions. awareness of responsibility are of great
For a country that has managed importance for the promotion of the to offer a sound economic trajecdevelopment of the society. tory ably aided by a good education It is for that reason that the nation system, access to health and growth needs to embrace the national youth with equity, what it now needs is a service often defined as the vanguard people that are imbued with a sense of patriotism all over the world. of purpose to serve, defend and be Contrary to falsehoods that are patriotic in defence of its hard won often peddled by some sections of independence. society that liken national youth
Forty one years after independence, services to “youth militia,” the youth the nation should be united enough to programme is not new to Zimbabwe defend Zimbabwe’s territorial integalone, but it is practised in several Afririty and sovereignty to an extent that can countries, and in the West, where no matter how wide people’s political it has been touted as the corner stone differences may be, the nation should of patriotism. have common patriotism thread that Several Western countries among runs through it. them the United States, have a
That commonly shared national national youth service where youths ideology should reach a stage where are required to undergo military traineveryone collectively fights the enemy ing before they embark on careers of for common good such that no “fortheir choices. eign influence and intervention” As a result, when these countries go should have a place in determining to war,their youths are well equipped the country’s future trajectory. with the history of their own country
After gaining its independence, and are ready to defend the sovereignty Zimbabwe went on a developmental and integrity of their nations, based on trajectory that was meant to erase the the nationalism virtues imparted in psychological trauma millions went them during military or youth training through to unshackle the colonial yoke programmes. from the country’s colonisers. In Africa, Ghana, Nigeria Kenya,
Since 1980, Zimbabwe has been and South Africa are among several developing year after year. African nations that set up national
Over the past 41 years, the country youth programmes to develop comboasts economic and social achievemon ties among their youths, while ments, despite ad hoc turbulences as a promoting national unity and interesult of external interferences by some gration among other things.
This will also be the case with Zimbabwe’s National Youth Service, which will equip youths with survival skills through hard work and tolerance.
This is contrary to some cheap populist narrative being peddled by ideologically bankrupt politicians bent on fomenting disunity in the country, that the re-establishment is meant to instil fears among voters ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The Government is embarking on this programme with the noble intentions to nurture the country’s youth into responsible citizenry.
A few years from now, the nation should be able to introspect how the programme began with a sense of pride and a history that talks of a united and a patriotic nation.
There is no doubt that the youths will be given a legacy through the training they will receive such as informative and revolutionary materials that include an anthology of the liberation struggle and the importance of being independent.
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