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How to teach our children to be heirs of Zimbabwe

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THE Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) stole my heart on August 12 2014, when they saluted the President, their Commander-in-Chief with precious Chimurenga songs.
Starting off with ‘Nyika yedu yeZimbabwe’ they reminded me of Comrade Tongo. They brought him so close, in my mind’s eye I could see the gallant freedom fighter once again, tall, stately, resolute, and charismatic.
His electric commanding presence drew you to follow him to the battle front no matter what the odds and you did so gladly, without looking back.
They then sang: ‘Nzira dzaMasoja’, their pledge to the people of Zimbabwe, the pledge of a People’s Army, and this sealed the Defence Forces Day whose theme this year is: ‘The Genesis of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces in Defence of National Sovereignty, Social and Economic Development’.
In those beautiful moments they reminded the nation that the Defence Forces of Zimbabwe are rooted in the liberation forces who fought for Zimbabwe’s freedom and independence and triumphed.
The President then crowned the moment by tracing the origins of the nation’s defence forces to the post Unilateral Declaration of Independence years when the people of Zimbabwe took up arms against British colonialism; thus was born Zimbabwe’s Defence Forces.
What this profound statement explicates is that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces came into existence as the revolutionary force to fight colonialism; it was the Zimbabwe Defence Forces when it fought to remove colonialism and bring Zimbabwe into being and, it is still the Zimbabwe Defence Forces today as it protects the nation’s existence.
Thus the consonance between ZANLA, ZIPRA and ZDF, and the circle is complete and when the circle is complete, a fundamental goal of the liberation struggle is achieved.
Well and good.
But what about the rest of Zimbabwe?
Is it not true that the decision to fight colonialism was a decision to fight and transform every facet of life that had been distorted and made inimical to the people of Zimbabwe by the British colonial forces?
Is it not that the liberation struggle was the genesis of everything correct for this land?
When the liberation forces prosecuted the war of liberation, they had a vision of the kind of society they wanted to build in a free Zimbabwe, they had a complete vision of this special kind of society of their own design.
That is why each of the departments in ZANU and ZAPU such as health, education, social welfare, information and publicity was grounded in a specific vision of the role each would play in a free Zimbabwe, a vision designed to correct the ills of colonialism in the particular area.
It is therefore true that each government department has its genesis in the liberation struggle, in the wishes and aspirations of the people of Zimbabwe which are enshrined in the vision for Zimbabwe that was concretised during the liberation struggle.
Saka kune ‘Nzira dzaMasoja’ with respect to each, be it education, health, culture, public services and so on; and the Commander-in-Chief in each case is the President.
Nzira dzaMasoja are what was envisioned during the liberation struggle, and what the revolutionary party ZANU PF continues to teach today about fulfilling the aspirations of the people of Zimbabwe in all sectors of life, how we should build us a Great Zimbabwe.
With respect to the children of Zimbabwe, and their education, it follows that Nzira dzavo dzaMasoja are to be found in what was laid down during the liberation struggle, in the departments of education of ZANU and ZAPU.
Those are still very valid today.
They are as valid to our children today as the Nzira dzaMasoja intoned today at the National Sports Stadium are still valid to present day Defence Forces.
The children of Zimbabwe are the nation’s defence forces.
They complement the work of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces with their hearts, minds and competencies.
They defend the land with their love for it, with their commitment to work for the people and their dedication to the ideals of the nation.
Together they are a formidable force, between them there is no crevice the enemy can use to break into the walls of the Great Zimbabwe.
If their minds and hearts are in the right place then they shall fulfill Nzira dzaMasoja dzekuhealth as doctors and nurses, dzekumining as owners of mining concerns, engineers, prospectors, dzekuagriculture as farm owners, engineers, technicians, zvichienda zvakadaro.
Vachava ivo mauto anozadzisa choga-choga chinodikanwa kuti Zimbabwe irambe yakamira, the way the ZDF protects our sovereignty and independence.
They too will protect our sovereignty and independence in whatever sector they operate in the country.
So it will be the greatest day when they too shall have completed the circle and sing ‘Nzira dzaMasoja’ as they graduate as cadres ready to serve Zimbabwe in their chosen field at the behest of their Commander-in-Chief, the President.
Then, they too shall salute the President as proud heirs who have taken off from where the liberation struggle left off and commit themselves to fulfill the goals of this same struggle.
It was a deeply meaningful Defence Forces Day and hopefully, many of Zimbabwe’s children and youths attended live or watched it on television.
Pamberi nemauto eZimbabwe and those waiting in the wings!
Dr Mahamba is a war veteran and holds a PhD from Havard University. She is currently doing consultancy work.

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