By Tawanda Chenana
WE, in the village, frown on rogue elements, mercenaries and rule-breakers.
They retard progress in the community.
And we are very saddened by events in the business community, the mercenary-like acts being exhibited by some business players that go against the ethos of building our country brick-by-brick.
Overpricing of goods and demand of payment in US dollars only, among other nefarious acts, are a sledgehammer on our rebuilding efforts.
As a nation, as a people, we have chosen to walk the path to greatness and we are doing everything to ensure that we will successfully get to our destination.
But there are some among us pulling in a different direction, one we do not want as a nation.
Since the inception of the Second Republic, the message has been loud and clear – let us divest ourselves of the old incapacitating robe woven with disunity, negativity, corruption, toxic politics and sabotage.
We are on the path to greatness which calls on all of us to clothe ourselves in a robe of unity, patriotism, optimism, selflessness and unbounded support to the development initiatives being implemented by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
We are thus saddened when we experience this self-serving and rampant profiteering mindset being exhibited by some in our midst.
The rent-seeking tendency which does not take into account the needs and desires of fellow citizens is a disease of the mind, an affliction of the soul which does not serve the country.
It is a disease that will throw us off the track and make us move in circles and set us back development-wise.
It is time we introspect and assess our activities and ask ourselves critical questions: Are we serving our country or helping the enemy seeking to destroy what we are building?
Whose interests are we taking into consideration?
We now know for a fact that no outsider, however well intentioned, will develop Zimbabwe on behalf of Zimbabweans.
It is our job to do and we are doing it.
Our country has been forced to formulate ownership policies starting with land as the basis of everything else and going beyond that into the economy as a whole because of its historical circumstances.
And we are developing in a manner seeking to enrich everyone without impoverishing others but when we become self-serving we are making others poor.
The spirit of patriotism that moved our ancestors into waging an armed struggle against the brutal colonisers during the First and Second Chimurenga should be the same spirit that should invigorate us into building our beloved nation.
The culture of hard work is in our DNA and we have brilliant people with amazing talents.
Let us positively use these talents and energy towards nation building and not destroy our country.
The business community and every other sector should be fully supportive of all the achievements made thus far in the Second Republic?
The idea of business operations devoid of patriotism is lethal to national unity, progress and development.
If the mercenaries among us do not want to recognise the current ongoing economic development, fine, but we have problems when they frustrate and sabotage the efforts being made by the Government of the people.
An indomitable spirit of loving one’s country means that we must not collude with the enemy.
We cannot expend our energies towards bringing our country to its knees.
Indeed, it is time every Zimbabwean, including those in the opposition, reform their ways as well as thinking and inculcate among themselves a positive mindset for economic development.
We cannot tolerate seditious and gluttonous citizens only interested in personal interests which are slowing down our progress.
We must remain indomitable, driven by the desire to serve the motherland, uplifting every section of our society.
We have much to lose, hence we are fighting to make each and every Zimbabwean understand that what we have in our hands is worth protecting with our hearts and lives because the success of future generations is heavily dependent on what we do today.
Zimbabwe has a visionary leader with a vision worth pursuing.
Indeed let us be better ancestors for our future generations by protecting and developing our country today.
While it is prudent and necessary to make use of the knowledge which mankind has garnered from all the four corners of the world, one area which any self-respecting people should never sub-contract to outsiders lies in the area of identity formation and nationhood.
We are Zimbabweans and must operate in a manner that builds Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe does not need mercenaries.
Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo.
