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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
This year’s Independence Day celebrations are historic as the country has entered a period of freedom, openness and opportunity, the President has said.

President Mnangagwa said this in a message posted on his Facebook page and Twitter handle on Sunday.

Zimbabwe celebrates its 38th anniversary of Independence tomorrow, with the main celebrations slated for the National Sports Stadium in Harare.

The celebrations will be held under the theme, “Zimbabwe at 38: Social Economic Restoration and International Re-engagement”.

“We look forward to a week during which we will celebrate our country’s independence,” President Mnangagwa said. “This year’s celebrations carry even greater resonance, as we have entered a new period in our history; a period of freedom, openness and opportunity.”

The President called for unity among Zimbabweans.

“In this new era, we must be liberated not only from without, but also from within, from hate, prejudice and discord.

“Let us always remain united, working together with our brothers and sisters to build a strong and open Zimbabwe for all.”

The new Government, which was borne out of Operation Restore Legacy that was launched by the military in November last year, has brought renewed hope for the country’s economic development following years of recession.

The operation resulted in the resignation of former President Robert Mugabe, who had been openly captured by a criminal cabal that surrounded him, resulting in loss of direction by both the ruling zanu-pf and Government.

President Mnangagwa has enunciated various policies to open up the country to investors.

Already, the country has received foreign direct investment (FDI) commitments worth over $7 billion.

Separately, zanu-pf deputy secretary for Youth Affairs Cde Lewis Matutu has urged youths to use the independence celebrations to reflect on how they could contribute to the country’s development.

“This year’s celebrations are different from all these years,” he said. “We are celebrating two things: the first one is that we are celebrating Zimbabwe’s independence, just taking it from 1980; and the other thing is that we are celebrating freedom from Mugabe.

“These two things are very important, so we are saying as young people who are going to experience these two freedoms we should rejoice, but let us think of what we can do to support our own country, what can we do as young people to support our economy and what can we do to support the efforts of our visionary leader, Cde Mnangagwa.”

Preparations for the main event at the National Sports Stadium were at an advanced stage yesterday.

Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs Miriam Chikukwa said transport to ferry people to the event will be available as usual.

“We have managed to secure transport for people coming to the National Sports Stadium,” she said. “There will be 30 buses for Harare province, five buses for Bulawayo and one for each of the remaining eight provinces.

“There would be entertainment galore, including mass displays and a soccer match, so we urge people to come in their thousands for the event.”