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April 18, 2008
Children have a right to inherit a free
and sovereign country and elders should not let them down by
dropping their guard against imperialists, President Mugabe has
said.
Speaking at a Children's Party hosted by
the First Family during the annual commemorations of the 28th
Anniversary of Independence at the City Sports Centre in Harare
yesterday, President Mugabe said imperialist forces were finding
their way into society to cause division among the people of
Zimbabwe.
"(They) are trying to divide our people to
create a weak society, a state of weakness to impose
neo-colonial rule in our country," he said.
Cde Mugabe said as long as he was still
alive, he would not let the British or their Western allies
colonise Zimbabwe again.
"As long as I am still on this earth, as
long as I am still breathing, the country shall never be a
colony again. Never shall this country be a British colony
again," he said.
Cde Mugabe urged the children in the
country to grow up knowing that the country has a history that
led to the freedom enjoyed by all the people today.
"We want you to grow and develop in an
environment of freedom (but) you should develop by knowing your
history. Knowing your country's past would also help you knowing
its future.
"You must also know the history of the
struggle. Freedom did not come on a silver plate. Zimbabwe was
once usurped by imperialists who seized it like robbers, but we
got it back and we are proud to be Zimbabweans, not Rhodesians,
Africans, not British.
"We have our own cultures. We can borrow
from other cultures, but not British. We must remain black and
be proud to be black and hence our children should inherit a
culture of being proud to be African," he said.
President Mugabe said Zimbabwean children
should learn to inherit and develop good characters from their
elders.
"You should show friendship, love for the
poor and work to unite the people. You should also inherit from
those with the right knowledge, correct skills that will help
you to be better people and get an education to grow in terms of
conduct and character," he said.
President Mugabe said children should know
that they do not have to start as leaders but should learn to
follow others before they could become good leaders.
"We want to see good leaders who would
inherit Zimbabwe and ensure fair distribution of the country's
resources among the people. Good leaders must have good
character, knowledge and good ideology.
"Move in circles of well-behaved people,
respect your elders, your Government and be able to distinguish
what is wrong or right so that you can also be distinguished
from others.
"If you develop a bad character, you would
be damned and you would also be damned as a person, but a good
character cannot be developed in a day. It should be developed
in your homes and schools," he said.
President Mugabe urged the children to
shun bad company and develop good habits that can be built into
a good character.
"You should develop a good habit, a good
habit that would develop into a good character, a good character
for a good destiny," he said.
The party is an annual event held a day
before the country's independence celebrations and attended by
children from the country's 10 provinces.
Traditional dancers, poets and local
musical groups entertained the gathering.
The Minister of Education, Sports and
Culture, Cde Aeneas Chigwedere, led a number of dignitaries who
graced the occasion including Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister
Cde Obert Matshalaga, Information and Publicity Deputy Minister
Cde Bright Matonga, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet
Dr Misheck Sibanda and many others.
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