HARARE - Acting President Joice Mujuru yesterday conceded that the economy was on a downward spiral and appealed to Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to come back home and help government fix the problem.
Mujuru who is standing in for President Robert Mugabe, made the plea at the National Heroes Acre in Harare when she addressed mourners at the burial of Zanu PF Politburo member Stanley Urayayi Sakupwanya, who died at Parirenyatwa Hospital last week.
Mugabe was in Malawi to attend that country’s 50th Independence anniversary celebrations.
She said Zimbabweans who flocked abroad mainly to the United Kingdom and the Sadc region during the economic crisis of the last decade, should emulate Sakupwanya who despite working for a long time in exile, came back home after independence to help in national development.
Mujuru, who is the country’s Vice President said while the country’s road to economic recovery was an arduous one, there was need for patriotic Zimbabweans to remain resolute.
“I hope our children in the Diaspora will hear this message that they must not forget that Zimbabwe will always be Zimbabwe, it will always be home that we should always work to build. They must come and work to build the country.
“The economy may not be moving in the direction that some of us would have wanted but we are there to work for the people.” Mujuru said.
Mujuru said the liberation struggle needed cadres like Sakupwanya who gave themselves to serve and were dependable and trustworthy.
A medical doctor, Sakupwanya was described as a great foot soldier during the liberation struggle who worked with liberation icons such as Jason Ziyapapa Moyo until his death.
After independence in 1980, he was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army as a major and rose through the ranks to become lieutenant-colonel.
After retirement, he went into private practice before he was installed as Chief Sakupwanya and also became Zanu PF Nyanga South Senator from 2005 to last year.