President Emmerson Mnangagwa has urged Zimbabweans to reject division and embrace unity, faith and collective hard work as the country enters 2026 and advances towards its Vision 2030 development goals.
The President made the call while delivering his New Year message during the third edition of the Seventh Day Adventist Church Celestial Chorus Soirée crossover celebrations held on Wednesday night at the Harare International Conference Centre.
As the nation ushered in the New Year, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe’s aspiration to become an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 demands unity of purpose, discipline and sustained national effort.
“We will not trade tomorrow’s promise for today’s shortcut. This is a journey of inclusive development, a road on which no one is left behind. Our progress is not measured in applause, but in foundations laid brick by brick, bridge by bridge; roads that connect the forgotten to the marketplace; water secured for families and farms; schools that shape minds, discipline and hope,” he said.
President Mnangagwa underscored the importance of faith and cooperation across social and economic divides, calling for a collective rejection of division in all its forms.
“As we enter 2026, let us rise in divine partnership. Let us reject the golden calves of division; tribe against tribe, class against class, citizens against citizens. Let us choose unity that works, faith that serves and hope that builds. Let us move forward together, praying, planning and producing until the Zimbabwe we seek becomes the Zimbabwe we share,” he said.
The President likened Zimbabwe’s development trajectory to a journey of renewal, stressing the need for perseverance in the face of challenges.
“We are on a journey, kilometre by kilometre, towards a promised future, a Zimbabwe where our people are empowered, where worship is free and unthreatened, where dignity is a birthright and where economic freedom is a lived reality. We will not turn back and we will never bow to despair,” he added.
Speaking at the same event, Seventh Day Adventist Church elder Kudakwashe Tagwirei called on citizens to unite around hard work and productivity as key drivers of national development.
“Nation-building requires unity, institutions, stability and collaboration across differences. Faith does not replace work; it sanctifies work. Prayer is not a substitute for productivity,” he said.
Tagwirei emphasised the need for an economy that empowers families, grows industries, equips young people with skills and creates employment opportunities.
“Poverty is not a virtue and stagnation is not holiness. Development and empowerment are moral imperatives,” he added.
The third edition of the Celestial Chorus Soirée drew musicians from across the continent, who performed alongside local artistes led by multi-award-winning gospel musician Everton Mlalazi.
