EDITOR – ALLOW me to air my views in your publication on a subject that has not been given the prominence it deserves on our path to development as a nation. As Zimbabweans we have allowed ourselves to be dictated to by the very same people, countries and individuals who are opposed to the majority through the total and unmitigated control of our resources in our beloved country. They have come to set the agenda of what we should do and this has resulted in us abandoning the values, virtues and ideals that make and shape us as a people. Issues like democracy, while they are admittedly crucial in shaping us as a people and as a country have continued to be used to sway us from the things that continue to confront us daily. What we need to be doing right now as a people is pushing hard to have total and unmitigated control of our resources through the indigenisation and economic empowerment programmes that are currently being pursued by our leaders. Despite fierce and vehement protestations against the programme by those opposed to the development of Zimbabwe, we should courageously fight for our rights to owning and controlling the means of production of our economy and we should be proud of ourselves. To be able to achieve this as Zimbabweans, we need to first show love and commitment to the true and real cause of our national independence which came about as a result of a protracted war of liberation. Patriotism and unity are therefore vital and key components of the development that we both desire and deserve as a nation and they are the best forms of democracy one can get in any country. This is called economic democracy and the only way we can achieve economic democracy in Zimbabwe is by being patriotic. Long live our freedom. Patriotic youth