Zimbabweans, today join President Mugabe in celebrating his 93rd birthday. Gushungo, as the President is affectionately known, has spent all his life fighting for the freedom and economic emancipation of the majority of the people.

His life has been one of undoubted sacrifice that saw him being involved in nationalistic politics at a very young age.

President Mugabe is a good example of selflessness. Putting the interests of other people ahead of his has been his hallmark as exemplified by the many years that he spent in prison for the liberation of Zimbabwe and the many programmes and policies he has introduced to benefit the people.

He has been on the illegal sanctions list for many years now because the West felt threatened by his pro-people policies that stood in the way of their regime change agenda. The sanctions have failed to tone him down, as the West had expected, but instead they have strengthened his resolve to work hard to improve the standard of living of the masses.

In the midst of such adversity, other spineless politicians, those that have allowed themselves to be used as puppets to fight their own people, would have forsaken the masses preferring the lifting of sanctions. We have a lot to emulate from President Mugabe in terms of what it means to be a principled person.

When he takes a stand on what he believes to be for the greater good of the nation, he never wavers, but pushes it through to the end. His commitment to the liberation struggle is astounding as others of lesser resolve would simply have abandoned the fight to live comfortably elsewhere.

The land reform programme, indigenisation and economic empowerment, Presidential Inputs Support Scheme and Command Agriculture are some of the examples of President Mugabe’s commitment to the empowerment of the majority of the people.

He has never been one to engage in programmes that benefit only him, but the entire nation. Today many Zimbabweans are proud owners of vast tracts of fertile land, companies and houses thanks to President Mugabe’s policies. This season Zimbabwe is poised for bumper maize harvest, made possible by the good rains in general and President Mugabe’s desire to make all farmers productive through the provision of agricultural inputs.

We have seen quite a number of selfish politicians whose only interest is to acquire wealth for themselves and their cronies without any regard for the masses. President Mugabe has relentlessly spoken about it urging people to refrain from corruption yet some politicians continue to be found on the wrong side of the law.

They are so immersed in material wealth to the extent that the interests of the masses no longer matter to them. This is when we wish we had a nation full of people with President Mugabe’s attributes.

The man is hated by the West because of his unwavering stance on issues, especially those that involve the well-being of Zimbabweans in particular and Africa in general.

As we celebrate his 93rd birthday today, we do so in the knowledge and comfort that our country is in very good and capable hands of a man who is never easily swayed. He is a man who has always put the people and their interests ahead of his own and this is exactly what true leaders do.

We want to encourage our youths to emulate the President by living a clean life away from drinking and smoking, but life that is centred around studying and working for the development of the country. The youths must learn from the President, the importance of sacrifice, the importance of being principled even in the face of adversity.

As we wish the President a happy birthday, we must all of us take time to reflect on the rich legacy of the man and strive to achieve only a little of his achievements to become a better people. We wish you President many more years of good health and wisdom.

Happy Birthday Gushungo!