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TWO days ago, on January 24, Zimbabwe marked 60 days of the new administration of President Mnangagwa, who came into office last year, succeeding veteran leader Cde Robert Mugabe. Although we are not quite fastidious about counting days as measures of success or lack thereof — including the 100-day mark widely used in such polities as the United States — we may as well take time to reflect on the first two months of a historic transition that is taking place in Zimbabwe.

The country is experiencing a period of hope and goodwill. There is an overall positive sense that Zimbabwe is moving in the right direction and that days of woe — experienced over the past two decades — could be finally behind us. International watchers, pundits and businesses are touting Zimbabwe’s potential and prospects.

Political attitudes of countries that were hostile to Zimbabwe are mellowing and there are signs that Zimbabwe will soon re-engage with the West and end its isolation.

We have been reporting how the country is turning heads at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where the ultimate capital converges. Zimbabwe has been receiving positive media coverage from Western outlets such as CNN and BBC which followed the flag of their countries in their hostile disposition towards Harare since the turn of the millennium.

All this spells an opportunity for Zimbabwe to take off economically and rise to its status as one of Africa’s leading nations. The world is warming up to that prospect and Zimbabwe can only rise. Back home, a lot of positive things have taken place under the new administration.

President Mnangagwa has started a fight against corruption, widely regarded as a cancer, which has seen a number of prominent people being arrested and appear before the courts. The fight is ongoing and there are indications that more bigwigs will be caught in the dragnet.

Tackling corruption and punishing unscrupulous individuals not only increases investor confidence, but also heals society affected by such ills. The Government has buttressed this fight by stipulating that officials must declare their assets which means that the administration will be run by officials with clear records and with fingers that are unlikely to grow sticky along the way.

In turn, in the absence of corruption, the work of Government will run transparently and efficiently. Zimbabwe will also be able to attract foreign investment that may have taken flight as investors avoided being fleeced by corrupt officials. Citizens are also happy that corruption has been curbed in the Zimbabwe Republic Police which had become notorious.

In the past 60 days, Zimbabwe has seen an increase in the interest of investors from South Africa to as far afield as Sweden. At the same time, a hardworking Government, imbued with a new culture and ethic, has emerged that will enable systems to function. President Mnangagwa appointed a leaner Cabinet and tasked his ministers with delivering within 100-day cycles.

President Mnangagwa is proving to be a good manager and he has demonstrated leadership by working hard himself. He is a doer rather than a rhetorician. Zimbabwe needs that doer, more than ever.

By cutting Government expenditure, especially on foreign travel, President Mnangagwa has shown that Zimbabwe is turning the corner on its spendthrift days when officials milked coffers dry with luxuries and junkets we hardly afforded.

The reduction of fuel prices sets the tone for the lowering of the prices of goods and services to cushion the long suffering Zimbabwean consumer. With more measures like these likely to be implemented, consumers will finally breath a sigh of relief.

It’s only 60 days of President Mnangagwa’s administration and Zimbabwe is finding its feet. With this positive momentum, Zimbabwe is surely headed for socio-economic transformation.