IT was a recurring scene, reminiscent of the April 18 1980 independence celebrations to Zimbabweans who witnessed events in 1980 at Rufaro Stadium and still lived long enough to be at the Zimbabwe Grounds on November 18 2017.
Forget the sideshows, the attempts to steal the glow and the sudden coming to life of dead opposition parties.
Tuck away the puerile pronouncements, the ill-informed analysis and ‘expert’ views from across the world.
The show belonged to one entity alone.
The spotlight rightfully to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), the people’s army.
The light could not be taken away from them as soon as their moment arrived.
Slight lukewarm drizzles washed off the sweat of the people’s troubles on Saturday November 18 2017.
The rains are normally a good omen.
But the signs were always ominous from the onset for Zimbabweans.
There had been an uncanny way of doing things that had almost become the norm, while the country watched in disgust and profound aghast.
An incarceration of people’s ideas had also dimmed the country’s prospects for prosperity.
Then it all came to an abrupt end on Saturday when Zimbabweans in a rare show of unity came together to give an approbation to the army that had taken the world by storm.
It was to the eye, a serene scene that settled right into the centre of the heart.
There were people from all over the country.
Every race, every colour and every religion.
There too was a story.
The Zimbabwean story.
The ZDF story.
The story of the future.
No need for the Southern African Development Community, (SADC), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) to tell us how to go on about our business.
‘Go Go Commander!’ read some of the banners.
Selfies with members of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) were the order of the day as myths created about the army by the country’s enemies were finally demystified and thrown to the dustbins of history.
No cases of violence were reported.
No theft.
No crime.
Peace all over.
This has always been the people’s army.
This entity has always stood up for the people’s wishes.
These soldiers have always been the anchor of the people’s security.
And these soldiers, great soldiers, have defended the country with their lives.
All was part of the great operation that has since been code named ‘Operation Restore Legacy’.
ZDF Commander General Constantino Guveya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga on Monday gave Zimbabweans a befitting approbation of their actions on Saturday.
“As your defence and security services, we are heartened by your display of composure, order and discipline during various marches which occurred at the weekend without any public violence,” said General Chiwenga.
He went on to appraise the nation of the progress in the current efforts being undertaken to return the country to normalcy following a period of relative uncertainty that had threatened to engulf the nation in the recent past.
And the update was what the nation needed in the wake of President Robert Mugabe’s address to the nation on Sunday evening.
Said General Chiwenga: “Meetings with His Excellency, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde R.G. Mugabe have gone on in atmosphere of mutual respect and several guarantees have been made.
As your Defence and Security Services, we remain seized with the operation code named ‘Operation Restore Legacy’.
The Zimbabwe Defence and Security Services are encouraged by new developments which include contact between the President and former Vice-President Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is expected in the country shortly.
Thereafter, the nation will be advised on the outcome of talks between the two.”
In the aftermath of the fast-paced developments in the country, the important message that emanates from this is while the nation now stares the path to development, unity is key in all this.
A clear and solid pedestal of unity has already been set for the country to stand on and demonstrate that as a united force, together we can make Zimbabwe a greater nation again.
The defence forces are there to provide that much-needed platform for development.
In the same vein, there are so many important things that need to be done now.
First, we need to re-establish contact with rest of the world and the international capital so that we can attract investors.
Second, we need to look at the deals that we signed, but are yet to be implemented.
These deals which run into billions of dollars must be initiated as a matter of urgency so that we can create jobs for the many unemployed Zimbabweans.
When all is said and done, the banal fact is that the work for Zimbabweans is cut out.
Everyone has a duty and role to play in the country’s economic revival efforts.
Let those with ears listen.