Unity Accord Anniversary: Mnangagwa Reaffirms National Cohesion

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reaffirmed national unity and cohesion as Zimbabwe marked the 38th anniversary of the Unity Accord, highlighting peace, development and reconciliation (image source)

HARARE — Zimbabwe on December 22 marked the 38th anniversary of the Unity Accord, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa reaffirming that no effort to divide the nation will succeed. The historic agreement, signed in 1987 by founding leaders Robert Gabriel Mugabe and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, remains a cornerstone of national peace, unity and social cohesion.

In his Unity Day message, President Mnangagwa described the accord as a “critical building block towards durable peace, progress and development,” saying Zimbabweans continue to work together as “one indivisible nation” in pursuit of a prosperous, upper-middle-income society. He said national unity has remained resilient despite economic pressures and sanctions.

“Unity and love for our country have seen the illegal sanctions failing to break or divide us as a people. No amount of pressure, falsehoods and vilification will derail our people-centred development trajectory,” Mnangagwa said.

The President highlighted progress recorded under the National Development Strategy One (NDS1), which concludes this year, citing record agricultural output in maize, wheat, cotton and tobacco. He said the forthcoming NDS2 will prioritise industrialisation, value addition and inclusive growth, aimed at accelerating economic transformation, job creation and improved living standards.

Mnangagwa also emphasised the importance of safeguarding independence, unity and peace, pointing to the ongoing Gukurahundi National Outreach Programme, led by traditional leaders, as part of efforts to promote national healing and reconciliation.

In his closing remarks, the President underscored Zimbabwe’s diversity as a source of strength rather than division. “Zimbabwe is a unitary state, a land with many cultures, languages and tribes that make us a uniquely diverse society united under one flag and one national anthem. No culture, language or tribe is superior to any other. Differences must be resolved through dialogue. No attempt to divide us will ever succeed,” he said.

The Unity Day commemorations served as a reminder of the enduring relevance of the Unity Accord and its central role in shaping Zimbabwe’s national identity and shared future.