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Nqobile Tshili-Chronicle Reporter

ACTING President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday said the Government’s citizen-centric policies of rebuilding the country have started benefiting communities at the grassroots level. 

He said this while addressing hundreds of Christians who had converged at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Exhibition Centre for the sixth edition of the National Thanksgiving and Dedication Service.

The event was attended by Government ministers, senior civil servants and various churches.

The thanksgiving church service was organised by the Faith for the Nation Campaign — an inter-denominational grouping of local churches under the leadership of Apostle Andrew Wutawunashe.

While the Government implements national developmental projects, the clergy said it was important that leaders seek divine intervention so that they find favour with God.

Acting President Chiwenga said the sixth edition of the National Thanksgiving and Dedication Service was being held at a time when the Second Republic celebrates almost five years in power.

He said the New Dispensation was thankful for the nation’s resilience in confronting negative voices, forces and circumstances in rebuilding the country.

Acting President Chiwenga said just like Nehemiah who supervised the rebuilding of Jerusalem, according to the Bible, President Mnangagwa is leading the redevelopment of Zimbabwe.

“God expects us to take total ownership, and to be responsible for tilling our land, building and developing it, and for providing better livelihoods to His people. Hence His Excellency, the President’s popular adage: ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo’. Like Nehemiah, we are determined to build Zimbabwe brick by brick, stone upon stone, leaving no person and no place behind,” said the acting President.

Acting President Chiwenga said it was pleasing that Zimbabweans are involved in the development of the country.

“We are encouraged by how the people of Zimbabwe have responded by embracing this culture of hard work, expressed for example in the highly successful Pfumvudza/Intwasa a local agricultural initiative and other initiatives emerging from the Second Republic’s policy of devolution and decentralisation. The church has been dependable partners on this score, both by prayer and deed as exemplified by the scriptures,” he said.

Phenomenal progress, he added, has been recorded in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads as the Government implements community-centric development. The acting President said schools, hospitals, clinics, bridges and other essential structures are being constructed for communities to have social amenities.

He said strides have been made in boosting productivity in agriculture which has seen the country being food secure.

“We have witnessed tremendous growth in the agricultural sector, which we have prioritised. Not only have we experienced bumper harvests in the staple grain, but we have also met the unprecedented target we set for ourselves in wheat production. All this harkens to the story of the sower, only favoured by Divine Will in our case,” he said.

“Our persistence in working hard in dam construction is rapidly expanding our capacity to produce through irrigation while providing water to needy communities. Beyond building dams, we have literally drilled hundreds of boreholes for needy communities.”

The Acting President said the transformation of the education sector and the adoption of Heritage Based Education 5.0 is aimed at producing graduates who create jobs as opposed to being job seekers.

He said the launching of  Zimbabwe’s Satellite into space was a confirmation that the country is keen on implementing science and technology-led development.

 Acting President Chiwenga said the church should work closely with the Government in addressing the drug abuse menace in society.

“I also urge the Church to work hand in glove with the Government in all initiatives for the good of our people, our economy and humanity. Our society is experiencing a high level of moral decadence in the form of drug and substance abuse, which require a concerted effort between the Government and the Church to address the scourge,” he said.

Acting President Chiwenga said citizens should be thankful that God has seen the country through 2022, saying they should continue working hard for the development of the country so that it becomes globally competitive.

 “As we come to the end of 2022 and begin the Year 2023, we must, together as a nation, ask for God’s help and dedicate our beloved nation Zimbabwe to the Almighty God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I urge every Zimbabwean to commit themselves to making 2023 a year of hard work, peace, love, harmony and unity. Indeed, this is the key to raising our nation to competitiveness globally,” he said.