Aspirations of a Nation at 45: Is This the Zimbabwe for Which Our Parents Gave Their Lives?

By Staff Reporter

With the theme Devolve and Develop Together towards Vision2030 Zimbabwe will celebrate its 45th Independence Day on April 18 2025. The festivities are tinged with a deep reflection on the country’s history and the goals that drove the liberation struggle.

This years remembrance takes on a particularly poignant note in light of the tragic death of Sungura maestro Tatenda Pinjisi whose loss has had a profound impact on the nation. A harsh reality that many Zimbabweans deal with on a daily basis—the unstable state of our healthcare system—was exposed by the widely shared video of the late Saina hitmaker frantically begging for painkillers following a terrible car accident.

The death of Pinjisi has sparked a national dialogue about the fundamentals of the Zimbabwe we envisioned at independence despite early hopes for his recovery while he was in the intensive care unit at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital.

Many people including myself whose parents fought valiantly in the liberation war—one as a ZANLA combatant the other as a ZIPRA cadre—find that the dream they risked their lives for is painfully at odds with the reality they now live in. My father served in the military and his wounds are a permanent reminder of the time he spent hurt and confined. I cant help but wonder as we get closer to this 45th anniversary: was the enormous sacrifice required if modern hospitals don’t have easy access to basic supplies like painkillers?

Healthcare is a right not a privilege in the Zimbabwe we long for. A Zimbabwe where hospitals are healing havens that are continuously fueled by electricity guaranteeing that life-saving devices run without hiccups. We yearn for a country where choosing to use a private hospital will be a matter of comfort and preference rather than a need resulting from the shortcomings of public services. The Zimbabwe we envision is one in which emergency responders are a quick and dependable lifeline during emergencies rather than a far-off hope.

Our parents, the brave men and women who banded together to fight colonialism made sacrifices that shouldn’t be forgotten. Their goal was to create a Zimbabwe where everyone could live in security with dignity and with access to basic amenities. The present issues in our healthcare system cloud their hard-won freedom and make Independence Day less joyous.

Looking back at the Zimbabwe my parents fought for I feel a wave of sadness. This is not the country they had in mind, they wanted a country with dependable services and fair access.

In spite of this suffering I continue to uphold the resilient spirit that characterizes Zimbabweans. I honor our liberation heroes valor tremendous efforts and unwavering dedication to a free Zimbabwe.

This Independence day, let us remember the past while also recommitting to creating the Zimbabwe that our liberators envisioned. A Zimbabwe where everyone has the fundamental right to receive high-quality healthcare where the calls for basic pain relief are not ignored and where hospital lights never flicker. We must work toward this Zimbabwe which honors the sacrifices made by our forebears.