People should think of how to attract investment

Gumbo told The Zimbabwean in a recent telephone interview that, while it was important for the nation to reflect on how the independence came about, there was need for everyone to help think of ways the country’s fortunes could be turned.

“Independence is all about transformation of people’s lives, culture, the economy, the future, education, health, provision of water and other needs,” Gumbo said, urging the nation to shun violence.

Gumbo said detractors of Zimbabwe should not abuse the Independence Day by inviting outside forces to destabilise the country.

He urged all political parties including Zanu (PF) and those in opposition to desist from attacking the business community, labour movements and the person of the Head of State ‘as that would scare away investors’.

Gumbo said intra-party violence in the MDC-T would not help lure foreign investment into the country. “Issues of MDC-T violence would not be helpful to our efforts to attract investment since it denigrates people and business,” Gumbo said.

MDC-T acknowledged the importance of the armed liberation struggle that brought about Zimbabwe’s independence but had some reservations.

It described the liberation war as just, ‘but unfortunately its objectives were being soiled by some individuals’. MDC-T Spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora, said the liberation struggle and independence were meant to foster equality, democracy, freedom and justice for all.

People would be entitled to equal economic opportunities irrespective of one’s political affiliation. According to Mwonzora, the objectives of the struggle have since been abandoned by Zanu (PF).

“The style of governance was turned totalitarian and dictatorial charactorised with inequality, injustice and bad governance,” Mwonzora said.

Mwonzora called on Zimbabweans to realise that they were their own liberators from Zanu (PF) dictatorship as much as they had liberated themselves from their former colonial masters.

He said gone were the days when some people would hold the country to ransom on the basis of having participated in the liberation struggle. Zimbabweans were urged to unite again and liberate themselves from Zanu (PF) rule.

Political analyst, Greg Lennington, urged people to use the independence celebrations as a vehicle to foster unity, peace and national harmony among Zimbabweans.

“The celebrations should help improve the country’s image in the eyes of the international community and cease to be a pariah state,” Lennington said.

Another respected analyst, Rejoice Ngwenya, said although people should acknowledge the independence, they should focus more on their survival. He said since the country lacked political freedom, justice, economic and social freedoms there was need for people to be obsessed with wealth creation.

“No government in the world would give people wealth so people should fill their stomachs first and later think of how to liberate themselves,” Ngwenya said.

Zimbabweans from all walks of life are expected to converge at designated venues across the country on Friday as they celebrate the independence attained in 1980 after a protracted liberation struggle.

This year's celebrations come at the height of company closures and crushing liquidity crunch.