The service for the President’s Special National Day of Thanksgiving took place at State House in Harare yesterday with President Mnangagwa and representatives of a broad spectrum of religious organisations present, and with the peace and unity prevailing in Zimbabwe and the economic revival being held up as deserving of thanksgiving.
In his address, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe is a
God-fearing nation and has faith and confidence in His guidance. “Through His
divine intervention, we continue to witness the country’s fortunes take an
irrefutable positive and promising turn for the better.
“Although we mourn every life lost due to the Covid-19
pandemic, we are thankful for God’s continued mercy, grace, protection and
preservation. His manifold blessings over our country are evident all around
us.”
Such blessings, the President said, included the peace and
unity in Zimbabwe, the macro-economic stability and noticeable results in
efforts to rebuild, modernise and industrialise the economy.
“The increased production and productivity, ingenuity and
hard work among our people, in spite of the limitations brought about by the
Covid-19 pandemic, is commendable,” he said.
“The reforms my Government begun are taking root: public
institutions are becoming stronger, accountable and more transparent, while the
culture of hard work, honesty and integrity and accountability is being
entrenched across all spheres of life.
“The value of our currency has been restored and remains
stable, while the purchasing power has been increased to benefit ordinary
people.”
President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was no longer where it
used to be and was moving towards achieving the goal of Vision 2030 of becoming
an upper middle-income economy.
Zimbabweans were urged to honour God for the blessings He
has bestowed on the nation in the face of calamities such as the illegal
sanctions, droughts, cyclones and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The President said God had blessed Government’s efforts to
respond to the pandemic while friendly countries like China, Russia, India and
the UK had donated vaccines.
“We remain grateful to God for the successes being
registered under various national infrastructure development programmes. The
current modernisation, construction and rehabilitation of roads and dams as
well as irrigation, water and sanitation projects which you are seeing
throughout the country, are all progressing at an unprecedented fast pace.”
President Mnangagwa said the devolution and decentralisation
agenda had seen more clinics, schools and social amenities being constructed
throughout the country.
“My Government firmly believes in the counsel of God to
guide us as we implement the National Development Strategy 1, for growth and
prosperity towards Vision 2030. I am convinced that God’s plan for Zimbabwe is
to prosper us and never to harm us,” he said.
The nation was urged to renew hope, faith and trust in God
during the Easter celebrations.
“The joy of resurrection and the empty tomb should forever
be in our hearts, embolden and shield our nation from that which may seek to
harm us. With God on our side, we are more than conquerors,” said President
Mnangagwa.
Father Fidelis Mukonori from the Roman Catholic Church
thanked God for the peace the country is enjoying, adding that Zimbabwe had
survived despite the illegal sanctions.
Zion Christian Church leader Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi
expressed his gratitude for the Thanksgiving service. “What we are seeing today
is God’s work through your (President Mnangagwa) hands.”
Bishop Mutendi said with God’s assistance, Zimbabwe will
overcome its challenges and urged the Church to continue praying for the
nation. With a bumper harvest in sight, the Church should set aside some of the
produce to assist the needy.
Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe president Bishop Never
Mparutsa thanked God for saving the nation from the deadly effects of Covid-19.
“We are privileged to be where we are and we should thank the Lord,” he said.
President of the Islamic Council of Zimbabwe, Sheikh
Ishmail Duwa, thanked President Mnangagwa for promoting freedom of worship and
tolerance of different religions. The fight against corruption was commendable
as God abhors the practice. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment