By Margaret Kamba
ZANU PF Director for Research, Strategy and Liason Dr Davison Gomo says committing to the development of Zimbabwe means believing in ourselves as a people.
He said these remarks when he officially launched the Patriotic Churches in Zimbabwe Matabeleland South Province chapter in Gwanda over the weekend.
The gathering which brought together various church leaders from Mbalabala, Mapisa, Filabusi, Gwanda and Umzingwane among others, provided the leaders with an opportunity to introspect into who they are as a people along with their history in order to ward off any misguided notions.
During the meeting, Dr Gomo challenged the leaders to desist from just praying alone but taking part in the economic development of their country.
"I am here because I believe in what you are doing and if only all people gave ZANU PF all the support then we would be far because it is more than a political Party but an embodiment of the desires of this nation. The Party came on the backdrop of the desperation of the people of Zimbabwe who had lost their land because of the colonial past. We take our freedom for granted. We take unity for granted. We take living in a community for granted. We take our brothers and sisters for granted. If we must commit to getting this country to move forward then we must stopping thinking of Musina, England and America and be ourselves. We have succeeded in miseducating ourselves. Once you cannot believe in your country then you are done. You must eat your traditional food such as amacimbi, umxhanxa, mbeva. These are the distortions of colonialism."
Dr Gomo took a historical tour of how the North to South migration occurred and asked the church leaders to "get things right. We must understand those things or else we fight shadows. That's the hard truth that you don't want to accept. The good thing is that you are uniting people who are confused. You are uniting them with one concept and that is Jesus."
He added that the issue of the church and politics has always been there and an important part of life.
"The Second Republic under His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has ensured that you worship freely as long as you don't oppress women and conduct child marriages. You are on course backed by the Bible and the Constitution and supported by the ruling Party. Your mandate is in Romans. Participate in national construction because we want you to be self-sufficient. If you don't participate, where do you expect to get the materials."
He encouraged them to pray for the country and produce ethically correct congregates.