End of year message from MDC leader Welshman Ncube

Season's Greetings fellow Zimbabweans

Even though, like most recent years, 2014 has been a difficult and challenging year for most Zimbabweans, we must nonetheless look back on the year with the knowledge that a brighter and prosperous future lies ahead.

As a people we have collectively and individually demonstrated courage, resilience and humility in the face of great and trying challenges. While we in the MDC are aware that this festive season, Zimbabweans have little to celebrate and give, we should nonetheless fully embrace the spirit of Christmas while drawing on our collective strengths of resilience, discipline and commitment to work together to build a better and prosperous future for our beloved country so that in the coming years we can truly enjoy the festive season.

We acknowledge all the challenges we face which undermine the spirit of Christmas, such as joblessness, the ever rising unemployment levels, job losses, business and company closures and general and increased poverty levels. Nevertheless, let us remember that Christmas is still a time for giving, a time for spreading the message of hope, for thanksgiving, for helping those less fortunate than us and above all a time for reuniting and spending quality time with family and friends.

As we enjoy the company of loved ones let us remember that above all, Christmas is a time for peace, prayer and dedication. Let us therefore continue to practice our Christian and traditional values of kindness, love, forgiveness, reconciliation and service. Please spread the gifts, however little they may be. As they say, it is the thought and the pleasure of giving that counts. Let our warmth, smiles and cheer this Christmas be the candles each one of us lights in the dark rather than us cursing the darkness.

Let us all desist from activities which endanger lives such as careless driving, excessive alcohol consumption and violence. May 2014 end on a cheerful note and make way for a fresh and bright new year.

I and the rest of the MDC leadership are optimistic about the future of our country as we look forward to 2015, a year in which we have committed ourselves to reunite the MDC political family members who practice and remain committed to the founding values of the MDC such as tolerance, servant and empathetic leadership, non -violence, peace, equality and democracy.

As we bid 2014 goodbye and welcome 2015 let us remember to take stock of all the good deeds done to and for us by others and thank them for those good deeds. Let us not allow the negative and the bad to overwhelm us.

I and the rest of the MDC leadership at all levels wish each and every Zimbabwean a Merry Christmas a prosperous new year. God Bless.