Remembering the Zimbabwe That Once Was

This image captures a moment from the early days of our independence, a time when hope was fresh, ideals were high, and the dream of a united, corruption-free Zimbabwe still felt within reach.

In the photo stands President Canaan Banana, our first Head of State who is often remembered as a “ceremonial” figure, yet symbolically carrying the weight of a nation being reborn. His calm dignity represented a different kind of leadership, one rooted in faith, unity, and reconciliation, before the struggles for absolute power overshadowed the vision of national service.

Looking back, one can’t help but wonder…what if we had built on that foundation of humility and collective purpose? What if leadership had remained about service, not self-enrichment?

Today, as corruption and state capture have taken deep root, perhaps it is time we revisit those early ideals when leadership meant stewardship, not ownership and when power meant responsibility, not privilege.

Zimbabwe’s rebirth was once a moral and spiritual project. Maybe that’s what we’ve lost… and what we must find again.