The country’s success is inevitable owing to the rich and enduring legacy of “solid education”, the land reform programme and economic empowerment initiatives laid by Robert Mugabe, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.

The onus of the new crop of leaders, he said, was to continue the rich heritage of the continent’s founding fathers through “challenging an unfair world, opposing injustice, racism and all forms of oppression of man by man”.

In his tribute to the country’s founding father at a State Funeral held at the National Sports Stadium in Harare yesterday, the President said Mugabe’s legacy is a springboard for economic development.

“As Zimbabwe, we shall ride on the education and high literacy levels bequeathed to us by our late great teacher and educator.

“As a visionary, he understood the importance of solid education, as well as science and technology in the future world. As Africa, let us find our niche within the fast unfolding Fourth Industrial Revolution, leveraging in our youthful population, abundant, untapped natural resources and expansive combined market,” said President Mnangagwa.

“As Africa boldly operationalises the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), let us be emboldened by the ideas of the late Cde Mugabe, who was one of the consistent champions of African unity, industrialisation, intra-Africa trade, as well as regional and continental integration.”