Staff Reporter

His Excellency the President and ZANU PF First Secretary Cde E.D Mnangagwa on Sunday said every stripe and feature on the National flag must be a vivid reminder of what constitutes us as a nation.

President Mnangagwa said this whilst addressing delegates at the Independence day leaders' cocktail reception at State House in Bulawayo. 

"Every stripe and feature on our National flag, must thus be a vivid reminder of what constitutes us as a nation. The blood of the many sons and daughters who paid the supreme sacrifice for the freedom we enjoy to this day, the land that we fought for which we must continue to defend, nurture and make sustainably productive, the rich minerals that are scattered beneath our feet which we must exploit to modernise and industrialise our country for the benefit of all as independent people, is who we are. 

"Our rallying unifying and development call "ilizwe liyakwa, libuswe ngabanikazi balo, Nyika inovakwa, nekutongwa nevene vayo" must echo throughout our provinces, districts, wards, business, churches, communities and homes," President Mnangagwa said. 

President Mnangagwa went on to highlight that the legacy bequeathed to us by our forefathers must remain the foundation upon which we move our country forward and that the freedom, territorial integrity and sovereignty we enjoy as a people and independent nation empower leadership. 

"No one and nothing must ever divide us. The legacy bequeathed to us by our forefathers must remain the foundation upon which we move our country forward and set a sound future for generations to come. 

"The attendant freedom, territorial integrity and sovereignty we enjoy as a people and independent nation empower us as leaders at our victorious levels to facilitate sustainable socio-economic development and prosperity in our areas of influence," President Mnangagwa said. 

His Excellency President Mnangagwa also said, "As we meet here in the City of Bulawayo and specifically here at State House, with its rich historical significance, may we as leaders reaffirm our commitment to play our part in the ongoing quest to realise a better future for our nation towards an empowered and prosperous upper middle income society."

Bulawayo is where King Lobengula resided and was where the original site of the kraal of King Lobengula, who fought a major battle against his rivals was. Cecil John Rhodes however built the Government House which he occupied. That is to this day, the State House.