Zim@34: time to reflect on the gains of independence

At 34, Zimbabwe has made tremendous strides visible to even the most hardcore critics. Tangible improvements in the nation's well-being have characterized the last three decades, borne from the selfless sacrifice of the gallant sons and daughters and anchored in the mass graves dotted around neighboring countries.

As the nation celebrates 34 years of independence and sovereignty, Zimbabweans should look back in appreciation at the achievements that the country has made under the wise leadership of President Robert Mugabe.

Regardless of the atrocities that were committed in the war of liberation by the Smith regime, President Mugabe extended the hand of reconciliation and the nation saw swords being bent into plough heads and bullets into pills to heal the battered country.

This saw the availing of hospitals and clinic at every corner of the country and overall improvement of the health care system  that today has culminated in the country having one of the lowest  rates of HIV prevalence in the region , if not the world.

Zimbabwe also boasts of the highest literacy rate in Africa as a result of government's stubborn dedication to improve the education system. From 1980, the ZANU-PF government has managed to build many primary schools, secondary schools and universities countrywide.

Education plays the pivotal role of empowering an individual to be informed and to inform. The colonial regime and its bottle neck system did not capacitate the locals on this aspect because they knew "information is the oxygen of democracy and that one cannot participate meaningfully if they are ill informed".  Thus they suffocated the black majority by banning several literatures and making it difficult to access better education and tertiary training. Though now the notion appears trivial to the present day generation, Government's fight to educate its citizens remains a beacon of democracy.

The land reform programme that was spearheaded by the ZANU-PF government is another notable achievement that other countries in Africa are now aspiring to emulate. The programme afforded the previously disadvantaged indigenous people a chance to claim their birthright and use their God-given heritage to feed and improve the nation.

As a result of President Mugabe's vision , over 300 000 Zimbabweans were resettled onto more fertile land and are currently engaged in efforts to restore the country's bread basket status despite the illegal sanctions imposed on the country.

Sovereignty and identity were transferred back to the rightful owners, the people of Zimbabwe. I could not help but capture the appraisal of Zimbabwe by one Cameron Modise of South Africa who echoed these sentiments on Zimbabwe "…Actually some of us envy Zimbabweans  because they own their own land; they are the masters of their destinies and are not waiting for some white European to rescue them from poverty."

As Africans we are tired of living under whites tyranny and whether the land reform is working better or worse in Zimbabwe does not matter, what matters is the land of Zimbabwe is in the hands of Zimbabweans and that is good enough."

As the nation celebrates Independence Day it is prudent to see through the mist of economic challenges and negative effects of the illegal sanctions and reflect on these and other achievements that foretell a bright future for the country.

In safeguarding this hard won independence and achievements so far, it will be of paramount importance to note that the enemy is still there only in a different form. Let us harness and combine our efforts for a better Zimbabwe in particular and Africa holistically.

Long live Zimbabwe!!!!.