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Fungi Kwaramba Political Editor

AS the year draws to an end, President Mnangagwa has urged Zimbabweans to keep the momentum alive in spearheading infrastructural development and economic stabilisation as the country prepares for the successful implementation of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) next year.

Address the 347th Ordinary Session of the Politburo at Zanu PF Headquarters yesterday, the President said the country must consolidate the gains of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), which has in the past two years managed to stabilise the economy, priming the country for sustainable and inclusive growth.

Last month, the President launched NDS1, the country’s five-year economic blueprint that will be implemented from next year as a successor to the TSP, and which is premised on the adoption and swift implementation of bold strategies, policies and programmes aimed at achieving economic transformation by 2030,

The President called upon party leaders to provide leadership in communities to ensure the country realises a successful and productive agriculture season, which has been capacitated by the Second Republic through mechanisation and the climate-proofed farming concept of Pfumvudza.

“Guided by the 2018 Party Manifesto and the Goromonzi National People’s Conference Resolutions, my administration remains committed towards the establishment of quality infrastructure for sustained long-term economic growth.

“We are thus determined to complete the construction of dams, major roads, upgrade and modernisation of our ports of entry.”

This year, the Second Republic has completed several infrastructural development projects such as the construction of Moravanyati Dam in Buhera, roads as well as power generating projects in Hwange that will soon ensure that the country becomes energy-sufficient and has surplus for export.

The President urged the party to shun corruption and to take measures to eradicate the scourge and social vice guided by both the party and national Constitution as the moral compass.

In ensuring no one is left behind, the President told the Politburo that his Government was formulating and implementing policies which seek to ensure broad-based and inclusive empowerment for women and youths as was demonstrated by his launch last week of the Micro-Small Medium Enterprises Policy, an initiative that supports the inclusion of women in the economy.

In yet another first, and a further demonstration of the Second Republic’s culture of dialogue and the virtues of a listening leader, President Mnangagwa during the same week held an indaba with women councillors drawn from around the country and across the political divide where the councillors made a plea for more women in key decision making bodies.

“I am pleased that Cabinet approved the principles for the amendment of the Constitution on proportional representation in local authorities providing 30 percent quota representation for women in all local authorities. This is a testimony that we are a strong democracy fostering unity of purpose towards matters of service delivery in local authorities and propelling our national development agenda”.

The President commended women and the youths, as the vanguard of the ruling party, for their continued resolve and active participation in both party and Government programmes.

“It is incumbent of the Secretaries for Economic Affairs as well as Production and Labour, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, in liaison with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development to scale up efforts to capacitate and empower the respective provincial and district secretaries.

“In line with our commitments to the continental and regional blocs, my administration continues to establish mechanisms towards harnessing the attendant benefits that come along with Conventions and Protocols. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one major continental vehicle to propel innovation and interventions of goods and services to address the unique needs of our communities leveraging on our rich natural resources.

“Comrades, the just struggle against all forms of neoliberalism and neo-imperialism is alive so as to establish the basis and conditions for economic independence and growth of our economy. Let’s therefore, as a leadership continue to provide requisite, timely and appropriate guidelines across all wings of the party,” he said.

Analysts have said that despite efforts from the country’s detractors to manipulate the markets through illicit economic activities, the scourge of the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the albatross of illegal sanctions, Zimbabwe is on course to become a middle-class economy anchored on mining, tourism and agriculture.