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National service justified

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LIKE elsewhere in the world, the Western world included, it is imperative that we establish an institution that instills national identity and patriotism right from the youth level.
This is especially so if we consider the depth to which colonialism has gone to muddle the thinking of a good number of indigenous people.
Our colonisers were very careful in making sure that they moulded the indigenous people into machines that functioned as programmed.
That is why because of distorted information about the leading coloniser Cecil John Rhodes; there are some black Zimbabweans who hero worship him as a ‘saviour’ of some sort.
And yet he is the one chiefly responsible for the blood shed by many Africans who died for their country after he had tricked King Lobengula into signing the Rudd Concession.
But this is not the only illusion brought about through internalising colonial values.
This is a serious problem which needs attention.
That is why we support plans to introduce a compulsory youth national service.
The ignorance among most Zimbabweans about where their country came from, including the First Chimurenga, is appalling.
Instead those who claim to be learned among us are proud to be well versed with the details of the American War of Independence.
Even today almost every Briton is proud of the year 1066 because that is when William the Conquerer became the last successful foreign invader of ‘Great Britain’.
Yet in our case the valiant battles fought by our freedom fighters and their significance is strange historical material to our youths and even elders.
Even the rejection of the Smith-Home proposals in 1972 through the Pearce Commission, as reported elsewhere in this edition, shows how Zimbabweans were able to see through deceit.
Through a compulsory youth service our children will be given a chance to know about the heroics of people who fought throughout our history to make Zimbabwe what it is today.
This is bound to make them value their country with pride.
Because of the level of mental colonisation we have been subjected to, a process to equip our children with knowledge about their country is imperative.
There are some who are opposed to the idea of national service on the grounds that it indoctrinates youths with ZANU PF propaganda.
This notion has to be dismissed.
Just because ZANU PF was at the forefront of the liberation struggle, it does not mean that only those who supported the revolutionary party benefitted from independence.
Those from MDC, ZUM, UANC, ZANU Ndonga etc can testify they have relatives who died for the liberation struggle.
Thus if the ideas of ZANU PF are found to be coinciding with what is imparted at the national youth service, then just like the liberation war, the shaping of the Zimbabwean youth is going to benefit all Zimbabweans regardless of political or religious affiliation.
After all this national youth service is far reaching.
It will involve a training programme to enhance skills, patriotism and moral education.
The imparting of military skills is also essential as all the youth have to be equipped to defend the country if necessary.
It is us who have to mould our youths to be patriotic and not the so-called human rights watchdogs whose agenda is prescribed by our erstwhile colonisers.
That is why we are happy when we hear that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is in the process of including the country’s history into the curriculum at an early age.
Though belated, it is still welcome.
Just like it was compulsory for us to proceed to the next class after passing English, our country’s history merits similar status.

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