His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has challenged the people of Zimbabwe to continue working together in order to improve the fortunes of the country.
Speaking during the funeral ceremony of the late National Hero, Brigadier General (Rtd) Jonathan Willie Hungwe whom he described as a loyal cadre and illustrious military career, President Mnangagwa challenged the people to draw inspiration from the strides being made under the Second Republic.
"Our late National Hero spent his life wholeheartedly serving Zimbabwe. A loyal cadre, he had an illustrious military career which saw him serve within the Zimbabwe Defence Forces in operational combat, engineering, logistics support as well as manpower and skills development," President Mnangagwa said.
"I call upon all our people, at every level, to close ranks and work with greater unity of purpose to realise the social, economic and political objectives we set for ourselves. The strides we continue to make under the Second Republic with regards to infrastructure development, agriculture, mining, tourism, as well as in manufacturing and education sectors should be a source of constant motivation.
"I commend you, my fellow citizens, for your resilience and our economy is on the rise. Let us resist the temptation of ‘we have arrived mentality’. While the results we have achieved to date are a testament that we are masters of our own destiny, much more work must be done. Let us keep marching forward and breaking new ground across all sectors and business endeavors.
"Our collective efforts to improve service delivery, domesticate critical mineral value chains and beneficiation, as well as to empower our youth and women, are yielding positive results. Takawirirana kuti, nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhu-le-ke-lwe ngabanikazi balo. Under the Second Republic, we will never grow tired of building a modern and industrialised, Zimbabwe.
"My Dear Fellow Mourners, Comrades and Friends; As we bid farewell to this great son of Zimbabwe, we take comfort in knowing that his legacy will live on. His contributions to our nation’s struggle for independence and service in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces will never be forgotten. To the family and relatives of the late Brigadier General, we offer our deepest condolences. May you find comfort in the knowledge that his life was a sacrifice for our nation’s freedom and prosperity. We take this solemn moment to draw inspiration from his courage, bravery, persistence, consistency, discipline and commitment to the cause of our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe. Finally, I say to you our gallant and decorated veteran of the Liberation Struggle."