Zimpapers Logo

Victoria Ruzvidzo In Focus
The excitement over the appointment of a new cleaner, leaner and energetic Cabinet is still upon us and the champagne bottles continue to pop. But incumbents now need to shake off the hangover from the partying to get down to real business.

We have heard or read snippets of the visions by most of the new ministers. Quite impressive and tidy but we should quickly translate the talk into action immediately. Not that they must just dive blindly but we would want to believe they are all quite aware of what Zimbabwe is about and the challenges that confront us today.

The 100 days ahead will be quite telling. The good thing is that President Mnangagwa has promised he is watching them like a hawk so they may not have an opportunity slumber or sleep on the wheel. We are all watching.

But, more importantly, we believe the ministers and their teams are also self-drivers. Their total commitment from within is critical in determining the pace at which solutions will be sought and implemented. We are almost certain that they knew what they were committing themselves to when they took the oath of office on Monday.

It was certainly not just about power, cars or the perks but more about real work to transform the country, in case some need reminding so early in the journey. The next five years will be quite exciting.

The new Cabinet must build on the foundation created since last November. The interest on Zimbabwe is growing, deals are being signed, and our previous foes are extending a friendly hand while the sentiment in general has become positive and full of hope. We must see real change coming through. Real change. We will not throw beautiful adjectives to the new team too soon although many have done that already but we wait to see.

Already there has been quite some baptism of fire for a number of the new ministers. Health Minister Obadiah Moyo is faced with a situation of life and death literally. People are dying of cholera and he must step up to lead in resolving this health crisis. Yesterday he was already visiting hospitals and issuing a statement, which is a good sign.

Pointing fingers at the city council will not stick. Everyone needs to pull together and the fact that the cholera outbreak has been declared a state of emergency allows the mobilisation of resources to arrest the spread and deal with the source. Let’s see how this turns out.

But as correctly pointed out by Dr Moyo, the City of Harare needs to attend to burst sewer pipes and other water problems urgently to avoid seepage into boreholes and other sources of water.

Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube is one minister who does not have room to relax even for five minutes but must get down to business to facilitate Zimbabwe’s economic renaissance.

He is quite articulate and up to speed with issues. But his eloquence will need to be translated into action and results. The Government is saddled with a lot of challenges and the economy is stuttering. He needs to steady the ship sooner rather than later.

Of course, it’s not a one-day job but we need to see a rollout of solutions to arrest further decline.

An illiquid market is certainly a tough call but we believe Prof Mthuli has the wherewithal to turn things around for the economy. Everyone has faith in him and I am almost convinced he will not fall short in his brief. He was not appointed to the African Development Bank and other portfolios for nothing.  He knows his stuff, we believe.

I have had the pleasure of interviewing him at the World Economic Forum for Africa every year and his passion for Zimbabwe has always been unquestionable. His CV is rich and it is not just a great read but one followed by works. He really comes out as someone who will bring sustainable solutions for this economy.

All the same we expect to see real work right away. Zimbabweans are usually a patient lot but we have endured challenges for too long now. It’s about time we began to live the life again. But this hinges on progress in the economy over the next few months.

We need a better Christmas Comrade Minister so we can celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ in style.

This is not to heap all responsibility on the minister at the exclusion of  what the private sector and other stakeholders need to do to steer the economy on the right track but emphasis on Prof Mthuli here is only so because he holds the key. He facilitates business. He creates the tempo. He is certainly not leaving the Swiss chocolates and the mountains for nothing. We believe he is all too aware that he needs to roll up his sleeves and begin real work.

The economy needs foreign currency, investments, jobs, infrastructure, food and everything to give a strong Gross Domestic Product figure and all the goodies that come with it.se. All the best Prof.

The minister of Agriculture is no longer new to the portfolio but he knows it is not an easy road given the fears of a looming drought. He has not  rested since assuming office but has been doing a lot to ensure that all is done to increase agricultural output.. He has bread and butter issuesto deal with right now. Fears of bread shortages need to be handled well and any threats to its availability should be  eliminated expeditiously.

This week he assured the nation that we would still find bread on the market for a very long time to come. We believe him.

Other ministers also have their share of issues to deal with. Each portfolio has its work cut out already and we must see them and their teams getting down to business. It is not a walk in the rose garden but one that demands sober minds that apply themselves fully for a brighter Zimbabwe.

President Mnangagwa has done well to increase the number female Cabinet ministers  to six while appointing them to key portfolios in our development discourse. This is a strategy that will surely make a difference in Government’s discharge of its mandate. These women, we can safely vouch for them, will bring results to the table.

Women have no problems in delivering once they get their minds set on something, whether positive or negative. They do it with such precision it is amazing. In this instance Zimbabwe is richer with these women in Cabinet. Their reputation precedes them. They are hard workers and they have done well in their previous portfolios and we have no reason to doubt them.

So the nation can rest assured that they will score highly .

We are all quite upbeat about the new Cabinet and the future of this economy. That Cabinet will deliver is something we already believe but in cases where any one of them fails to perform to expectations, we urge President Mnangagwa not to hesitate directing them to the nearest exit door. We are only interested in those that share the vision of making Zimbabwe great again.

In God I Trust!