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Joseph Madzimure Senior Reporter

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has challenged Cabinet ministers to work hard to accelerate the development agenda being driven by the Second Republic and implement more high-impact and life-changing projects.

Speaking at the last Cabinet meeting for this year yesterday, President Mnangagwa implored the Cabinet ministers to be ready to work towards achieving Vision 2030 aimed at transforming Zimbabwe into an upper middle income economy.

“Going into 2022, we must work harder to accelerate the development agenda of the Second Republic and implement more high impact and life-changing projects,” said the President.

“Being the third year since the advent of the Second Republic, we have had to exert greater energies as well as our collective skills and competencies in order to achieve milestones and visible transformation, envisaged in the National Development Strategy 1. I thank you all for dutifully attending to the business of Cabinet, which was conducted in a total of forty-three meetings,” he said.

Team work and unity of purpose under the whole of Government approach, was commendable and should be strengthened going into the future, said the President.

He said all ministers performed above par and skilfully tackled all the challenges thrown at Cabinet.

“This was against a background of numerous challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic with its associated lockdowns environment,” he said.

The President said successes from this year should inspire the Cabinet next year as the citizens’ expectations are high.

This year, said the President, the enforcement of lockdowns and the need for strict observance of World Health Organisation guidelines and protocols prevented the worst-case health scenario.

Similarly, he said the refurbishment and equipping of central, provincial and district hospitals, coupled with the deliberate improvement in manning levels to deal with Covid-19, paid dividends.

This saw the case fatality ratio remaining below 3,5 percent throughout the pandemic. 

Presently, nearly four million citizens have received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccines, while close to three million have received the second dose.

President Mnangagwa said the devastating effects of the pandemic were contained due to the timely intervention of Cabinet.

The President also said the successes attained during the year were undeniably numerous and span across all sectors of the country.

For instance, learners have returned to school and the President is optimistic that public examinations, which have spilled over into the new year, will be successfully completed.

Turning to the economy, the President said overall performance has been unprecedented, adding that the mining sector was on a growth path, while industrial capacity utilisation now averages between 40 and 60 percent with some sub-sectors hovering well above 70 percent.

President Mnangagwa said the innovation drive being championed by higher education was yielding transformational and multi-faceted benefits.

In the aftermath of a good 2020/2021 rainfall season, he said the country had a sound food security base, with 2,7 million tonnes set to be delivered to GMB.

The national food security status now allowed Government to devote resources to critical programmes under the National Development Strategy 1, such as infrastructure development across all sectors.

“Dams, roads, schools, clinics and university construction projects are happening at an unparalleled rate. Our Devolution Policy continues to have a far-reaching impact, especially to the ordinary members of our people,” he said.

For continuity purpose and smooth flow of business, the President implored some ministries’ departments and agencies to maintain sufficient staffing levels to ensure the discharge of their ministerial mandates and responsibilities.  

President Mnangagwa said as ministers join their families over the festive season, they should continue being champions of Government policies, programmes and projects in their constituencies and communities. 

“In our present circumstances, the need to rally citizens to get vaccinated against Covid-19 cannot be over-emphasised,” he said.

Equally, said President Mnangagwa, Zimbabweans trooping home for the Christmas and New Year holidays should be encouraged to take advantage of the Government’s vaccination facilities.

“As we enjoy the festive season, we are all reminded about the need to guard against hazards and accidents often associated with the festive season. Let us be vigilant and avert needless injury or loss of precious lives. 

“The New Year must find all of us in good health and rejuvenated for the national duties more so, as we enter the second year of the National Development Strategy-1,” he said.

During the course of the year, Zimbabwe lost a number of ministers, some due to Covid-19, including national heroes former Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Joel Biggie Matiza, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Dr Sibusiso Moyo, and former Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba, among others.

 As the Second Republic continues to build the country “brick by brick, stone upon stone”, the President urged ministers to remain emboldened by the assurance in Philippians 4 verse 13 that says, “With God, all things are possible”.

He said Vision 2030 was indeed achievable.

President Mnangagwa wished everyone a merry Christmas and a prosperous 2022.