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Fungi Kwaramba in Mt DARWIN

AS thousands of people left Mt Darwin yesterday after celebrating the 43rd Independence Day, they left behind them a small rural town with newly-tarred roads, a pristine stadium, newly painted schools and even traffic lights.

Thousands flocked to Mt Darwin High School grounds for the unprecedented Independence Day Celebrations that were taken to a rural setting for the first time in the history of Zimbabwe.

The crowds, who came from every part of the country, craned their heads to witness a fly past that whizzed above the stadium, they witnessed the President inspect an Independence Parade, and then a march past.

It was a stellar cast befitting the occasion, as the High Command from both ZIPRA and ZANLA, the military wings of ZAPU and ZANU respectively during the liberation struggle, were also in attendance, including former Vice President Joice Mujuru, a daughter of Mt Darwin.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, who was the Master of Ceremony, said in an interview it was a day to remember for ages to come.

“This initiative by the President, Dr ED Mngangwa, it has never happened in the last 42 years. We know the last one we did was in Bulawayo, the second one is here in a small centre called Mt Darwin. That shows that everyone is important, the mantra leaving no one and no place behind is a reality.

“The significance of this 43rd Independence shows that the liberation struggle was not just fought by men, but women were part of that liberation struggle.

“We see our generation which went to the Second Chimurenga were not the first ones, there were women before us like Mbuya Nehanda and our President in the Second Republic has demonstrated the importance of women’s  participation in the war by actually putting that statue of Mbuya Nehanda in the centre of Harare so the women of this country can stand up and fight.

“You need to be there to make sure that you build the Zimbabwe you all want, stay away from the evils of substance abuse, steer clear of early child marriages, work hard for your country, you are expected to do it and you can do it,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

Cde Mujuru, whose nom de guerre was Teurai Ropa, was lost for words in view of the honour bestowed on the province by President Mnangagwa.

“There is no history of this country without Mashonaland Central and Mt Darwin in particular because of the level of the struggle which was fought by the locals here. That’s why even protected villages were really tough to stay in, especially for us girl children and mothers.

“We felt it more than anyone else and that’s why I decided to join the struggle. So by having this recognition showered on us by the President and Government, I am telling you I have no words to say thank you. We just have to say this is the highest honour that we have been given as the people of Mashonaland Central and Mt Darwin in particular,” said Cde Mujuru.

Retired Brigadier-General Abel Mazinyane, who was the last Zipra Chief of Military Intelligence, was overcome with emotion as he recounted the liberation struggle and the progress that is being made under President Mnangagwa.

“This to us brings a bit of pain, it actually brings back both pain and joy. The pain being that our colleagues whom we fought with for years, for about more than a decade, didn’t live to see this.

“How would they have felt if they witnessed this today?

“If we are lucky, we ask ourselves; are we representing them properly? Are we living up to the expectations that they sacrificed their lives for? We can’t sleep with pain and joy.”

“This is too nice because today we need to tell our children about the oppression we lived through which to them is a story and to us is an experience we went through. The best thing we can do to repay those who didn’t live to see a new Zimbabwe is to make a better Zimbabwe. That means every year we try to improve it in line with the President’s mantra, brick-by-brick. We must build this country and it is up to us to improve it before giving a challenge to the youths. It is the youths who still have got energy to do that,” he said.

Cde Richard Faraitione Chinengundu, who was also a member of the High Command, said the day is a living lesson to all Zimbabweans.

“Like any student, you go to school and your achievement is what you want . . . to pass. All these stages of the revolution were like school learning stages. We wanted to reach the final victory of the struggle of the people of Zimbabwe, but most importantly, the national grievance of the people of Zimbabwe has been the land question and now that the land reform was implemented successfully, the people own their land,” he said.

Detachments from the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services wowed the crowds with their marches.

As the nation turned 43, it was befitting that this land (Mt Darwin) that bears the scars of the liberation struggle has been given a face-lift, prompting the dwellers to seek town status.

This is because President Mnangagwa delivers and has turned this growth-point into a hub of business, indeed as he walks the talk of leaving no one and no place behind.

This land, that bore the brunt of the liberation struggle, morphed into a bustling town in less than two weeks, clearly responding to the President’s policy of decentralising national events and taking them even to the remotest parts of the country.

“We are delighted, Mt Darwin will never be the same again. When everyone goes back, we will remain with one of the best schools, and we also have the best roads. I would like to thank the President for choosing us among all other districts,” said Mrs Estina Manjovha, a resident of Mt Darwin Heights section.

The theme of this Independence Celebrations is “Nyika Inovakwa nevene vayo; Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo/Brick Upon Brick” and this is all apparent in Mashonaland Central where several roads have been completed or are shaping up and nearing completion.

These projects include the Muzarabani Gas project, the surfacing of roads, and transformation of Mbire into a town. And the province contributed significantly towards the attainment of a US$8,2 agriculture economy target.

Dams have been constructed in every district, irrigation schemes availed and from the masau fruits abundant in the province, processed foods and medicines have been produced as the province reaps huge benefits from the innovative hubs and industrial parks at Bindura University of Applied Sciences.

“We the Korekores now have traffic lights, our children can see what a town really looks like. We don’t have to travel to other provinces for employment, we will get it here, we will create employment, we have the skills and the infrastructure,” said Mr Edwin Matanga who travelled from Dotito.