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SCMZ on the Zimbabwe Independence Day
Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe (SCMZ)
April 17, 2012

"Make a song to the Lord, the horse and the horseman he has sent into the sea"
Exodus 15:21

Zimbabwe turns 32 on Wednesday April 18, 2012. This year's commemorations of Independence are held under the theme, "Indigenisation and Empowerment for Social and Economic Transformation". As the Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe, we take this opportunity to recognize the national significance of independence on the basis of the fundamental fact that it was a historical and nation-defining occurrence in our life as a people.

According to Exodus 15:21, the Bible recorded that when the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt they celebrated and gave praise, however this was only when they had crossed the Red Sea and not reached their promised land. Nevertheless the Bible also recorded that Israelites celebrated despite the fact that they had other battles to fight ahead of them. Likewise as we celebrate this historical event we urge all Zimbabweans to celebrate but at the same time do not relax, rather continue to fight for what rightfully belongs to us.

We strongly believe that the dreams of our liberators are still to be fully realised as the nation is yet to place the economy in the hands of the rightfully deserving majority people of Zimbabwe. The celebrations must, therefore, draw the attention and participation of all Zimbabweans to honour and cherish the memory of those that gave up their lives to earn us the freedom and independence that we have today. More so as we celebrate it is very important that the freedom that was fought for by the courageous sons and daughters of Zimbabwe is being enjoyed by all and not just a privileged few.

As we commemorate this special day it is important especially to the youths to recognize the national independence in order to understand the historical and progressive democratic reasons why the Zimbabwean State was established. The collective understanding should be to understand that we raised our national flag in April 1980 with the explicit intention of ensuring a democratic and better life for all Zimbabweans regardless of race, colour or class, political affiliation or anything of that sort that would undermine any Zimbabwean of their abilities to be part and parcel of the National processes. Hence it is from such a premise that we must measure the celebrations of our independence rather than politicizing the event making it a platform for political expediency.

It is the time that we should look back and reflect on the policies and strategic choices that we have made in the past 32 years and assess if they are still relevant and in the best interest of the general populace of Zimbabwe. Such an honest reflection should look into issues such as the expansion of social service provision by the State, the establishment of a justiciable Bill of Rights, the tragic conflict of the Gukurahundi, economic structural adjustment, the continually repressive political environment as well as the continually disputed and historically land redistribution, national healing process, indigenisation programmes to mention but a few. This means that as we celebrate Independence Day, we must be conscious of the challenges that we face collectively and approach them with the necessary historical and social consciousness that returns our country to a social democratic path.

As the nation commemorates this event we urge every citizen to stridently insist that "NEVER AGAIN!" shall we or our children bear witness to such repression either by way of racism, social and economic injustice and deprivation of human rights to all. It is high time the powers that be realise that, what was fought for by the freedom fighters is delivered precisely to the citizens of Zimbabwe for only a fool can think that the cries and wailing voices of the children of Zimbabwe shall go unnoticed - definitely one day our history shall be told with real joy and jubilation.

Visit the Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe fact sheet

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