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In his address during Heroes Day main celebrations at the National Heroes Acre in Harare yesterday, the President challenged Zimbabweans to be united.

 

“Kuti titeure ropa pakati pedu hazvisisina musoro. Tingashore kuti vamwe havana kuirwira nyika, vamwe vanga vakarara, vamwe vanga vakadhakwa, vamwe vachibira vamwe nevamwewo vachiroya, asi runako rwenyika magariro akanaka.

“Zvibhakera hatichada. Garisanai. Hapana anofanira kushaiswa mufaro nekuti ndewe-party iyi. Kana uine shoko rekumudzora taura naye auye kwako.”

He castigated people working with former colonial masters to derail the gains of the country’s independence.

The President warned Zimbabweans, including traditional leaders, who are being used as fronts for white former commercial farmers.

He said these people risked losing farms allocated to them during land reform.

“Vana vedu vanofanira kuva nenhaka iyoyo vasazoonekwa vachideura ropa nenyaya yenyika zvakare.

“Zvatava nayo nyika hazvigumire ipapo. Ivhu rinofanira kushandiswa, hupfumi ngauvakwe kuti vanhu vese vave nehupenyu hwakabudirira.”

President Mugabe said Zimbabweans should not fight each other.

“Tinokurudzira kuti vanhu vagarisane zvakanaka, kutaurirana zvakanaka isu tovavo vatungamiri vanekutonga kwakanaka.

“Nekuda kwekuti takarwisana nemuvengi tikatora nyika, hapasisina kurwisana pakati pedu. Toshanda pasina makakatanwa.”

President Mugabe castigated leaders who worked with outside forces to destabilise the country.

“Asi mukunzwanana kwedu todaidza vavengi, ipapo tinopokana nekuti vana vese varere pano vakarwa kuti tisadzvanyirirwa nemuvengi. They should rule in their own countries.”

Zimbabweans, he said, needed to work hard in developing the economy.

“Ngativei vanhu vanoda kugarisana vakabatana, vanoda kushandira nyika.

“Kana uri murimi, kana mushandi wemufakitori, unofanira kushandira budiriro yenyika.

“Saka tichiti ivhu sekugoverwa kwarakaitwa, harichadzokera kumuvengi. Hondo yedu is a movement forward. Hatidududze kwete. Rwendo rwava rwemberi. Tatora ivhu hatichadududza.”

The President said Government was aware of beneficiaries of the land reform programme who were being used by white former commercial farmers.

“Tinoziva kune vamwe varikuita husahwira nerweseri vachirimirwa nevarungu. Vanovapa minda vachinzi tinemishina torima tozokupawo mari. Ngavachenjere nekuti varikudzorera rwendo kumashure. Tovatorera.”

He said there were so many senior officials, including chiefs, who were being used to protect the interests of white former farmers.

President Mugabe reiterated his call against violence among supporters of the different political parties.

“Tingave nekusiyana pakati pedu. Tichienda kumachechi akasiyana, tiine mitupo yakasiyana, yakawanda asi tova nekunzwanana nekuti pama-party edu takasiyana.

“Kana usingade party yacho, zvinosangana pakuvhota, worega kuivhotera pama-elections.”

President Mugabe urged Zimbabweans to guard against people who wished to divide them.

“Among our people, let us be warned about those who wear black skins, but are ever ready to work with white imperialist exploiters in undermining our indigenisation and empowerment policy and programmes.

He expressed regret that widows and widowers of national heroes were not benefiting from the National Heroes Dependants Assistance Fund.

“Government is committed to reviewing this assistance, which is in the form of monthly maintenance allowances, education, health and accommodation allowances for all dependants of our national heroes.

“I however, regret that because of lack of funds, the fund has not benefited the intended beneficiaries.”