By Abraham Mabvurira

AS President Emmerson Mnangagwa continues to implement policies and projects in line with Vision 2030 of an upper middle-income economy, Zimbabweans are encouraged to cast off all shadows of doubts and inundate themselves with a positive mindset for economic development. 

Under the Second Republic, it is clear that change is inevitable but for it to be swift and smooth, let us prepare our minds for change, for it is common knowledge that our individual attitude and behaviour towards the country has a direct bearing on economic growth and development. 

As given before in a preceding article, a mindset for economic development can be perceived as a state of mind where a people take a deliberate choice to be in charge of their own national affairs while manipulating situations to create a desired or envisioned future and destiny. 

This however, requires us as Zimbabweans to be united and share the same vision and dream with our President. This requires Zimbabweans to make a conscious decision and deliberate choice to use their God-given talents, abilities and energy towards the building of a Great Zimbabwe rather than derailing and demolishing it. 

Therefore, replacing all manner of negativity and old thinking with a brand new thinking is the object of a mindset for economic development, replacing a sense of inferiority with a superior mind of greatness. 

This means new approaches to African issues, generating new ideas and solutions that will provide a panacea to African challenges and problems. Throughout history, the tactic of divide and rule has been, and is still applied by the imperialist as a weapon to weaken strong and prospering African states. 

Imperialists use it to demonise progressive leaders, turning people against their democratically elected leaders thereby establishing and strengthening their hegemony on that distabilised and disunited country. 

This is a painful truth.

Then comes a generation of ours, esteemed to be well educated. 

Shall we continue to fall victim to the blatant machinations of divide and rule without learning from the past? 

Shall we continue to allow the same mistakes of disunity that led to the subjugation of our grandmothers and grandfathers continue to be the source of our own misery and failure? 

Certainly not, because we are approaching everything with a new mind and thinking – a mindset for economic development. 

A mindset for economic development shall strongly resist such an old and tired tactic of divide and rule; for we are going to turn seeds of division being mischievously sown by the enemies of progress into seeds of unity, progress and development. 

The sanctions-induced challenges we are currently facing are going to be combated by a united people of Zimbabwe, inspired by a mindset for economic development. 

Like an eagle, patriotic and resilient Zimbabweans shall embrace the storm, dance in the storm and take advantage of the storm to build our nation brick by brick, stone upon stone, for without challenges change is hardly effected. 

Driven by a positive mindset for economic development, let us plan and work for our beloved Zimbabwe. 

Let us write and sing positively for Zimbabwe. 

Let us unanimously think, speak and act positively about Great Zimbabwe – the undying love of our rich country being the basis and bedrock for such positive energy of patriotism. 

To all those who wittingly and unwittingly work against Zimbabwe, a formidable mindset for economic development is entreating you to stop reducing yourselves to mere objects for use by our erstwhile colonisers. 

Unlike your Western handlers who treat you as an object for exploitation, the Second Republic under the banner, ‘Leaving no one and no place behind’, qualifies you to be part of a winning team. 

The Second Republic is openly inviting and welcoming Zimbabweans to be directly involved in the construction of a Great Zimbabwe. 

With a positive mindset for economic development, let us be partakers of the economic journey towards an industrialised and modernised Zimbabwe.

Let us resist to be mere passengers, puppets and detractors. 

This relates well to President Mnangagwa’s mantra, Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaikazi. 

No one is going build and develop Zimbabwe except us and expecting Uncle Sam or Britain to rescue Zimbabwe from underdevelopment is an utter display of naivety. 

The first step to progress and success begins in the mind. 

A mindset for economic development challenges you to dismiss blatant lies from a biased and untrue history, that Africans are inferior and can never achieve anything. 

After being misled by history written for us by the perpetrators, our forebears have fallen victim to this trap of inferiority complex. 

They worship the whiteman while dismissing everything that comes from a black man as ‘false and useless’. 

Unfortunately, some unpatriotic politicians today with a misguided conception of democracy are casualties of such a false portrayal of Africans, for they come to believe that Zimbabwe cannot flourish without Uncle Sam. 

This is not true and unacceptable. 

Zimbabweans must be informed that the challenges we are grappling with are man-made, but the good news is they can be undone, by Zimbabweans themselves, not by an outsider. 

Together, with a united dream, purpose and goal, we can make Zimbabwe great again.

All we need is to continue having that positive mindset for economic development.