Mnangagwa's Unity Day speech

The speech delivered by President Mnangagwa to mark the 38th anniversary of the signing of Zimbabwe's Unity Accord


Fellow Zimbabweans, today, we commemorate the 38th Anniversary of the Unity Accord.

This historic Agreement was signed by our visionary liberation luminaries and founding fathers, the late national heroes, former President Robert Gabriel Mugabe and Vice President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo on the 22nd of December 1987.

The Accord ushered in national unity which remains a critical building block towards durable peace, progress and development in our nation.

This day remains forever etched in the rich history and heritage of our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe. Inspired by the spirit of that Accord, we are all working together as one indivisible nation, towards a prosperous, upper middle income society for the benefit of both current and future generations.

Unity and love for our country have seen the illegal sanctions failing to break or divide us as a people.

Therefore, no amount of pressure, falsehoods and vilification of our country, will derail the evident people-centred development trajectory.

Fellow Zimbabweans, as we reflect on the journey we have travelled since the signing of the Unity Accord, we continue to celebrate the countless victories we have scored as one united Nation.

The National Development Strategy 1, which concludes this year has delivered. Going forward, NDS 2 was launched, with our focus shifting to industrialisation, value addition and inclusive growth.

We are committed to accelerating the transformation of our economy, creating jobs and improving the quality of life of our people. The agriculture sector is flourishing, with record breaking production in maize, wheat, cotton and tobacco, among other crops.

This upward trend of production and productivity must be sustained during this current season as we consolidate national food security and sovereignty.

Similar success is being experienced in the mining sector, where  output of minerals has been on the rise. Efforts are underway to upscale local processing of the minerals, in order to realise the best value for our God-given resources.

The manufacturing sector is expanding, while tourist arrivals are on the increase. Infrastructure development projects are positively impacting lives and as such notable advancements in these and other sectors of economy. This have all been possible as a result of our prevailing unity, peace and stability which our country is enjoying.

As we commemorate this Unity Day, let us remain alive to the responsibility upon each of us, those here at home and those in the Diaspora. Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatirwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe-likhu-le-ke-lwe ngabanikazi balo.'

We should carry on, therefore, modernising and industrialising our country, building on the solid foundation of our rich liberation war heritage and the Unity Accord.

My Government remains committed to the mechanisms that have been put in place to ensure that we consolidate the gains of the independence, unity and peace, bequeathed to us by our forebears.

The ongoing Government-led Gukurahundi National Outreach Programme through the guidance of our traditional leaders, is receiving Government's support, towards promoting national healing, unity and reconciliation.

Fellow citizens, Countrymen and women: Zimbabwe is a unitary State, a land with many cultures.

Languages and tribes that make us a uniquely diverse society, united under one flag and one national anthem: No culture, language or tribe is superior over any other.

Differences in perspectives, ideas and approaches may arise, these must, however,  be amicably resolved through dialogue.

This is the inheritance and ethos left for us by our founding fathers, through the historic Unity Accord we are celebrating today.

Under my Administration, there is no room for antagonistic divisive differences  which breed hatred and disharmony. No attempt to divide us, will ever succeed.

This is the individual and collective pledge we must all make on this important day, across every community within our borders.

Our national unity is sacred. This day must see us all, recommit ourselves to guarding, preserving and promoting this critical pillar of our nationhood.

At no time should we allow our personalities to be instruments of division.

Let us always, patriotically defend our country as well as national image, identity and the character of being united, peaceful and hardworking people. This sense of pride should extend across every province and district, from Zambezi to Limpopo, Plumtree to Mutare.

Takabatana, Tirivamwe.; Sibambene, Simunye.

With these remarks, I wish us memorable Unity Day commemorations.

Long live our Unity, Long Live our Peace.

Happy National Unity Day to us all.

God bless you all.

God bless Zimbabwe.

I thank you.