Tuesday 15 April 2014

When Zimbabwe Independence coincides with Good Friday

As a people together, it is important to realize the epi-centre of our freedom which was brought by the liberation struggle. Our brothers and sisters exhibited insatiable zeal to eradicate the unwanted rule by the minority Rhodesians who by lack of invitation invaded Zimbabwe through usurpation of diplomacy and power.

Misheck Gondo 

The Zimbabwe Independence should be a reminder of every citizen, young or old, of the need to work for the gains that were being sought by the gallant sons and daughters of the soil. We have to guard jealously the values of our national independence, territorial integrity and national security. 

The struggle was a preparation for a democratic country, a positive vision for the people, one in which people co-exist in peace, security and dignity, where people have jobs that put food on their tables, provide roof over their heads and offer decent education for their children.

Good Friday is a religious holiday observed as fundamental day for the salvation of people, Jesus Christ the Son of God was crucified for our sins.  The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday proceeding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of Passover.  Before this Friday there is a precedence of activities in Christian calendar namely the Lenten (LENT) period which lasts for forty days as that spent by Jesus in the dessert; fasting before the beginning of his public ministry, where he endured temptation by the devil. Zimbabwe like Jesus Christ who spent hard times equivalent to forty days of fasting and temptation by the devil and as well she won the independence as Jesus Christ our Lord defeated the devil on the cross of Calvary.

It is on this Good Friday were our National Independence Day for this year of the Lord has fallen, 18 April will be a day of national and spiritual reflection, given that Zimbabwe is a Christian country as affirmed by the Pre-amble of our Constitution which acknowledges God Almighty who sent His son to this earth, the day should be used as an introspective analysis towards our destiny, both in prayer and in principle.

Our nation has been through hard times politically, economically, socially and spiritually, the day in questioned should be used a catalyst to champion for a better country, with high corruption in the country, unemployment and divisions, it is on such a rare platform were we need to reflect back as people and find one another, starting from our leaders who must take necessary steps to curb ills and manifest development in thoughts and in deeds.

There must be a renewed impetus to re-build our mother land, a new hope in everyone for a better future. The bottom line is that our commitment in unity and in diversity must be unquestionable and must not be superficial, but must be total; in order to rekindle and re-ignite the spirit of oneness, the spirit of defining and attaining national goals that were set when we united to liberate our country.

We should take lessons from Jesus Christ on this day, He sacrificed his life for people through painful cruxification, yet he continued to love and usher words of faith, forgiveness, and reconciliation with God, and total mercy for those who believed in Him. 

As Jesus Christ rises on Easter Sunday after his cruxification that was on Good Friday, lets die with Him on our Independence Day and Zimbabwe will rise with Him on Easter Sunday with a new life, a new hope for generations, with ways to deal with corruption- without protecting those responsible for the fall of our national pride.

On such a rare day, in which our Independence coincides with Good Friday let’s rise to the top of our mountains to build our nation. We share the same history, the same land; we sing the same anthem and we fly the same flag. We should work in harmony, for a common vision, acknowledging our diversity; but above all with a burning zeal to develop our Zimbabwe, our mother land.

I love you Zimbabwe happy 34th birthday. You shall rain in prosperity!

Let’s wait and see.

Misheck Gondo is a Political Analyst, an International Relations Expert with the University of Zimbabwe.

1 comment:

  1. Nice piece brother! Our fathers fought for freedom and injustice! Thirty four years after our hard fought independence, Zimbabwean are not free in there country, Zimbabweans still face injustice. The country is riddled with corruption, unemployment has reached its peak, the economy is free-falling! When I was home last February, my dad told me that this was not what they fought for, it is what they were fighting against! So we need to reflect back and ask ourselves, is this what we fought for, is this what our fathers fought for, is this the Zimbabwe we want! What can we do to save Zimbabwe from collapsing, remembering it is your country and my country too! Let us stand together as one and build this great nation.

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