ZIMBABWE is a country that no sane person can ignore.

It has, since time immemorial, captured global interest because of what it can offer.

There are those who cherish it for what it is; what it brings to the global table.

They are right in that assessment.

There are also those who look at it with envy; those who try to steal this country’s heritage from its rightful owners.

These belong to that grouping which thrive on bullying other nations; that group which wantonly exerts its will on other nations.

They are wrong.

We have walked an arduous journey that has been crowned by our resilience.

Our history of pain, torture and suffering at the hands of our erstwhile colonisers has taught us many enduring and compelling lessons about the path that we should take as a people; the path that we should pursue, the path which leads us to our destiny.

We are on the right track.

The trajectory that we are currently pursuing has many open doors of hope and prosperity.

Soon, they will open up for every Zimbabwe to enjoy the full benefits of our country’s much talked about resources.

This is no longer about potential.

It is now about unlocking opportunities for the majority.

Our collective past experiences have shaped us into what we have become.

This is why we need to bring our heads together in pursuit of that common goal of developing this country.

This is why we need homegrown solutions to the problems confronting us as a nation.

This is why we need such initiatives  as the ongoing National Dialogue so that, where we have lost each other as a people, we will easily locate each other. 

Where we have antagonised each other, we will draw inspiration from peace.

This is why committees, such as the Presidential Advisory Council, are crucial in bringing ideas and expertise from across the board.

Homegrown solutions have always proved to be the tonic that brings tangible results and inclusivity.

They have always proved that local participation, especially in the economy, not only benefits the masses, but improves skills as well.

We have a number of examples on how this has worked in recent years.

We have the communal farmers, artisanal miners and local entrepreneurs, to mention but a few, benefitting from homegrown programmes and policies and advancing the economic empowerment agenda.

It starts with a personal understanding of what this country means, where it has come from, where it is and where it is going.

Those who have grasped this fundamental lesson are well aware of what lies ahead and what it will do to the people of this country.

We are on the cusp of something big.

We are on the verge of achieving greatness as a people and as a country.

We are about to realise maximum benefit from our country’s vast resources.

We will achieve this through our own initiatives.

Results of this impending success will be born out of doing things the way we want.

We will only achieve this if, and when, we do things our own way.