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Address by President Mnangagwa at the Munhumutapa Day Celebrations in Masvingo yesterday

I am honoured to be addressing you, the young people of our Party, ZANU PF, here in Masvingo Province.

This event comes shortly after the successful convening of your National Assembly meeting and the launch of the Youth Service in Zimbabwe Programme.

I commend you for your unity, discipline, vibrancy, vigour as well as singleness of purpose.

This reflects your indispensable role in the progress and transformation of our Party and great motherland, Zimbabwe. I commend your leadership, Masvingo Province and all members of the Youth League for successfully organising this important event. Well done, well done.

Today’s programme coincides with my birthday anniversary.

Allow me to express my sincere gratitude for the thoughtful gesture.

Comrades, we are gathered here to celebrate the unique and historical Munhumutapa Day.

I am particularly pleased by the theme, “Rooted in the Past, Growing Towards a brighter Future: Empowering Youth for Nation Building and Vision 2030”. This theme reflects a deep understanding of our national development priorities by you, our youth.

You have taken heed of my clarion call to leverage our rich heritage.

Our heritage is an important instrument for defending our independence and sovereignty as well as advancing our national interests.

The deliberate choice of the venue is commendable. It allows us to relive our past and reconnect with our values, culture and identity as Zimbabweans. Well done and congratulations.

As the vanguard of our Party, the responsibility of nation-building rests heavily on your shoulders.

On its part, the ZANU PF Government will continue to implement empowerment programmes. Earlier in the morning, I had the honour to launch the Munhumutapa Youth Housing Scheme in Victoria Range, here in Masvingo.

This is our commitment to ensure access to decent housing and safe shelter. Comrades, let us commit to upholding the great historical significance of the Munhumutapa Empire.

The most powerful and prosperous kingdom in Southern Africa, and its legacy continues to inspire us.

Munhumutapa, the great ruler, was a symbol of unity, peace, and resilience.

Comrades; under his reign, the empire flourished in trade, culture, and governance.

The Munhumutapa Emperor represents more than just a historical figure, but embodies the values of nation-building, and sovereignty; wisdom, strength and leadership.

Today, we stand proud as his descendants on the shoulders of that great and indelible legacy. From Mutare to Plumtree and from Chirundu to Beitbridge we are all part of the rich legacy of the Munhumutapa Empire.

Tirivanhu vamwe chete, Sivanye. We are one indivisible people.

We are united by the umbilical cord that emerges from here at the Great Zimbabwe Monuments. ZANU PF rejects regionalism, tribalism and any form of hatred.

Comrades, we are masters of our own destiny, torchbearers and defenders of our national aspirations.

The achievements of Munhumutapa serve as a moral compass for our journey towards Vision 2030. With singleness of purpose, our national Vision is achievable. I challenge you the young people to continue being patriotic, loyal, disciplined, and responsible.

The youth of yesteryears took arms and brought independence, freedom, democracy and territorial integrity.

It is your turn, to take up the challenge to ensure that Zimbabwe occupies its rightful place and; that we realise greater successes and prosperity.

Our ongoing development projects and programmes must be reflective of the strength and innovativeness of the Munhumutapa Empire.

Stand tall and be counted as a generation of youth who contribute to the rapid development, modernisation and industrialisation of motherland, Zimbabwe.

I challenge you to also play your part in agriculture and help ensuring national and household food security. Equally, be active and visible in the ongoing science, technology and innovation revolution.

The ZANU PF Government has already mobilised inputs for the 2024/2025 Summer Cropping Season.

Under my leadership, more youths will continue to be facilitated to play their part in the mainstream economy, including in mining, infrastructure development, tourism and ICTs as well as in leadership and governance space.

ZANU PF rejects corruption. We must entrench a culture of hard honest work, production and productivity.

Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo. libuswe,

Comrades, like our great Emperor Munhumutapa, who worked to unite his kingdom and ensure its prosperity, we too under the banner of our revolutionary mass Party, ZANU PF, should continue uniting Zimbabwe.

In conclusion, I express my gratitude to you all my fellow citizens for your unwavering support, unity and peace that was exhibited before, during and even now, after the SADC Summit.

I also thank you for the congratulatory messages following my assumption of the SADC Chairmanship. Ndinotenda, Ngiyalibonga.

The prevailing peace, tranquil and harmonious environment must be sustained and guarded jealously.

May the warrior spirit, and founding values of our forebears continue to motivate and inspire us all to pivot our country’s prosperity.

The progress we are making, your aspirations as the youth, and the promise of a prosperous future, must be reflective of the greatness of our forebears.

With these remarks, I once again congratulate the Youth League of our Party, ZANU PF, for this historic and memorable event.