Harare — YOU don't know it till its gone . . . you don't know what you have got . . ." or something like that sang one popular Western singer.

Many times we just listen to the song and we do not put meaning to its words or apply them to our everyday life but it aptly analyses what Zimbabwe has in President Mugabe.

This song was brought to my memory on my recent visit to Tanzania attending training.

The training was attended by participants from Zimbabwe, Tanzania, South Africa, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Comoros, Liberia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal to mention a few.

It drew participants from all over Africa. We all analysed the role President Mugabe has played in Zimbabwe and found out that black citizens of many African countries, wished he was their president.

The training had participants from very diverse backgrounds and history. What struck me most was their common interest about the situation in my motherland, Zimbabwe.

This writer and my colleague (the only two participants from Zimbabwe) had a torrid time trying to update colleagues about the situation back home.

Issues that were of interest include the inclusive Government outstanding issues, indigenisation and empowerment and the land reform.

There is genuine interest about our welfare from our brothers and sisters in Africa. Some of the participants were knowledgeable about our current affairs. Some relied mostly on the media especially the Western media while others needed to hear it from the people on the ground.

This explains why I was never short of people on my table during lunch or any other break. My room after class was always occupied, people wanting to know and having debates about the current affairs.

These people were interested to know how we have managed to live this long under sanctions and still lived to tell the story. They wanted to hear how the economy managed to survive though mostly on its knees the onslaught of the imperialists.

In my interactions with the other participants it dawned to me that other Africans really admired us and the revolutions that we are going through. Some even wished there had a leader like President Mugabe.

One guy from South Africa actually said masses in South Africa wished they had their own Mugabe. Another colleague from Rwanda concurred and said if Africa had six leaders of President Mugabe's calibre, then Africa would be different from what it is right now. This Rwandese guy had speeches of our President on his laptop that is how much he follows the president.

The way these guys were admiring and appreciating what our President and the party did for Zimbabweans first the land reform and now the indigenisation and empowerment drive was mind blowing.

When I pointed the challenges we had to go through the past decade they had one answer for me; these are the pains of a revolution, the sacrifices of the struggle.

Regardless of what they had heard or seen on the media they highly esteem President Mugabe as the best thing that has happened to Africa. I realise surely mapudzi anowira kusina hari here are foreigners appreciating Cde Mugabe and back home we still have some who hate him with a passion. I was proud of our leader and to be from Zimbabwe the only republic described as independent from colonialism.

President Mugabe was described as a fearless, principled, a visionary and dedicated leader whose only "crime" was to challenge and fight imperialists and their machinations. A true Pan Africanist, who loves Africa and Zimbabwe, is President Mugabe. A leader with a spine to stand up to Britain and her allies.

I could not agree with them more. Cde Mugabe has proved to be what the doctor has ordered for Africa in this phase of the struggle for independence and total emancipation of Africa.

A colleague from Liberia said its unfortunate that age is catching up with Cde Mugabe, Africa still wants the man to lead the fight against imperialism like what Kwame Nkrumah did as he led the fight against colonialism. He has proven to be the voice of many African leaders especially on international fora. How many African leaders can tell the West to go and hang? Many fear the sanctions and the withdrawal of aid. They dread losing their honorary degrees, but not Cde Mugabe, who does not suffer from a crisis of achievement, he has stood firm in the face of adversity all in the effort to totally liberate Zimbabwe.

I personally admire his love for the country, his patriotism and how he stands for his values, principles and beliefs. How many are changed by the love of donor funds?

As Zimbabwe is celebrating 30 years of independence and self-rule and commemorating Africa Day, I take this opportunity to remind my fellow Zimbabweans of a leader we have.

A leader in the model of the long gone fathers of Africa like Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba and others. As a people we need to appreciate what God has given to us.

A leader who put his reputation on the line for the masses. What more could we ask for -- Cde Mugabe could have chosen the Mandela route, retiring quietly without stepping on the toes of uncle Sam, he would be still be pampered by the West, given awards, degrees and having statues erected in his honour in London square. But no he chose to fight for the people thereby making himself enemy number one of the West.

In the eyes of the West, Cde Mugabe was setting a wrong precedent for other Africans and he had to be taught a lesson, hence the sanctions.

The economic challenges we faced the past 10 or so years were meant to make the agrarian reform fail and thus discourage other Africans from following the route.

Thirty years on Cde Mugabe has not wavered, he has stood firm. In the colonial era, the colonialist knew that education leads to emancipation of a human mind. They had segregatory education policy; independence bought new educational policies and more schools for blacks were built. Many so called political analysts and politicians are beneficiaries of that policy.

I was once taught that a man, who rules, should control the means of production. There was never going to be total independence unless and until we controlled the means of production hence the need for land reform.

Some people shunned it thinking it was a Zanu-PF gimmick but how many of us are smiling all the way to the bank after selling tobacco today? Some of us might have missed the land but we will not allow the indigenisation to pass us as well.

We do not want a situation when our children and grandchildren ask, "where were you when others were empowered through the land reform?" In my case, it is the indigenisation and economic empowerment programme? To my fellow Zimbabweans I say this is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.

As a youth I say let us control our resources. As young people we are the future and what future is there if we do not control our mines, companies etc. There is no future to talk about for as long as our resources are used to develop other people. For how long should we standby and look as our resources are being looted? De Beers did it in Chiadzwa in the name of exploration.

What exploration when the diamonds were used for bird shooting by the villagers? Forget what Maridadi said, this is not Junior 3 Maridadi its a matter of destiny of life and death, we used to enjoy together during Junior 3 back then but this is not funny.

We the youth and I for one refuse to continue to see white youths of my age enjoying what should be mine! Eating the crumbs when I should be having the cake! Aluta continua comrades!

Its high time Zimbabweans woke up from their slumber and claim what is rightfully theirs. The times to continue to sing for our supper in NGOs and as TV analysts are over. It should be known that anyone against the indigenisation and economic empowerment drive is against the people.

It is time to consolidate the gains of our independence and not to reverse it. At 30 years of independence, we have come of age. Many people were glad to hear the President saying there is no going back.

Again those among us criticising are left behind. Its time we all accept that Zimbabwe is for Zimbabweans and we need to empower the people now for future generations.

The minority whites we have today were not there when their ancestors colonised this country.

They are where they are today because of what their fathers did for them, the policies they implemented, and the legacy they inherited.

So likewise we owe it to our children and the generations to come. We have to leave an inheritance for our children's children like what the Bible says. But how can we if we are just mere workers who do not control the means of production?

A salary can never leave a legacy!

President Mugabe and Minister Kasukuwere and other champions of indigenisation should be commended and supported in this drive.

It was refreshing to hear that hundreds of companies have submitted their indigenisation plans. So you it should be clear to Maridadi that the wheels are already turning and there is nothing that can stop us. The challenge was after being in the civil society for some time I realise that what we have been made to believe we are good for nothing only writing proposals and reports; begging for money. It pains my heart to see some of our best brains being wasted all in the name of getting donor funding and being used as pawns in the agenda of imperialist.