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Fungi Kwaramba Political Editor

AS the country enters the year 2022 on the back of rapid industrialisation and modernisation, President Mnangagwa says the country should gear itself for accelerated development that leaves no one behind through inclusive growth.

In his address to the 358th Politburo meeting at the party headquarters in Harare on Tuesday, the President said there was no time to rest as the country must continue to vigorously pursue its Vision of becoming an upper-middle-economy by 2030.

“As we set our focus on the 2022 by-elections and the 2023 Harmonised General Elections, District Coordinating Committees (DCC) are urged to discharge their duties in line with laid out mandates. All structures are directed to consolidate and heighten party efficiencies in the implementation of robust grassroots mobilisation, voter registration, and education programmes and activities.

“Now that we are entering the second year in the implementation of the National Development Strategy-1 (NDS1), more work lies ahead. The party has to take the lead in the implementation of high impact and result-oriented programmes, projects and activities.

“I am pleased that my recent launch of the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange and the subsequent listing of Caledonia Mining is yet another leap towards the realisation of our Vision 2030. Furthermore, infrastructure developments in the tourism sector in the City of Victoria Falls highlight the growing confidence investors have in our country’s policies.

“I recently commissioned 90 ZUPCO and 13 Public Service Commission buses to enhance the delivery of affordable, reliable and decent transport for both the commuting public and civil servants.

“In sync with such developments, the rehabilitation of roads in both rural and urban areas is ongoing to ensure the swift movement of goods, services and people. As we enter the New Year, work in this regard will be accelerated,” said the President.

The President, who has had a hectic work-filled year, will be going nowhere during the holidays as he leads from the front in implementing and spearheading Government programmes.

“I am not going anywhere, I am around. This is our last Politburo meeting of the year. I wish my comrades a happy Christmas and New Year. They will join their families for this period, but from the first week of January, we shall come back and I am going to have a proclamation for elections.

“We have to come back and fight for Zanu PF to win all the seats, councillors and members of Parliament,” the President told journalists after the Politburo meeting.

He commended the Fourth Estate for doing a wonderful job in covering the Zimbabwean story.

“I am very satisfied that our media industry has done very well. You were able to carry the message of the Government and also the message of the opposition.

“It was well carried out, this is what it should be and I wish you again to do the same thing, to shoulder responsibility of building your own country, (as) no one will build it except ourselves,” the President said.

Meanwhile, the President said party members must forever be the ambassadors of Zanu PF in highlighting milestones that were achieved this year.

“Members of the Central Committee, Politburo, National Consultative Assembly and veterans of the liberation struggle should provide strategic guidance, support and leadership. All focus and efforts must remain on attaining a prosperous and empowered upper middle income status by 2030.

“The active participation of the private sector in the modernisation, industrialisation and growth of the economy is also applauded.

“I had the honour to commission the newly modernised and revamped Kudzanai Bus Terminus in the City of Gweru, a project which resulted out of a private-public partnership.

“This model must be duplicated throughout other cities and towns to modernise the outlook of public bus terminals,” he added.