adminThe national launch of the programme was done by Vice-President Joice Mujuru in Harare on 7 July.
Provincial launches have been carried out in nine provinces and the final provincial launch will be in Matabeleland South in Gwanda today.
Speaking at the Matabeleland launch in Lupane, the Deputy Minister of Economic Planning and Investment Promotion, Dr Samuel Undenge, said the plan was aimed at poverty alleviation and promoting growth of the economy.
“Sterp stabilised the economy and brought inflation down. MTP will build on that to grow the economy through a number of laid out procedures that are modelled along the recent experiences of rapidly developing countries like China, India and Brazil,” said Dr Undenge.
He said the programme spelt out Zimbabwe’s national priorities for both domestic and foreign investors and cooperating partners.
“The MTP seeks to reverse the decline in industry and achievement of sustainable economic growth through 10 key national priorities.
“The development of infrastructure through the capital budget, complemented the Public Private sector Partnerships (PPPs) and other private sector driven initiatives, employment creation, human-centered development, entrepreneurship development through SME growth and indigenisation, macroeconomic stability, ICT and science and technology development, good governance, investment regulation, co-ordination and promotion, resource utilisation and poverty reduction and gender mainstreaming into economic activities,” he said.
Dr Undenge said the MTP’s success hinged on an improved and uninterrupted supply of power to industries.
“In this regard, we will seek to end load-shedding by increasing energy supply through exploitation of the methane gas beds in Matabeleland North and increasing coal supply from Hwange Colliery in the province to enhance thermal electricity generation,” he said.
Dr Undenge said the MTP aimed to achieve an average growth rate of 7,1 percent during the plan period and single digit inflation.
“We also want to achieve an average employment creation rate of six percent per annum, double digit savings and investment ratios of around 20 percent of GDP by 2015 and a budget deficit to converge to Sadc benchmark of less than five percent of GDP, among other objectives,” said Dr Undenge.
He said most of the funding for the MTP would come from the country’s saving and investments efforts, foreign direct investments, credit lines and PPPs.
Dr Undenge said the MTP would be reviewed during the plan period in line with national, regional and international developments.
“This programme is different from economic recovery programmes imposed on the country in the past by the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, like Esap, that actually increased poverty. This people-centred approach has high chances of success as evidenced in countries like China,” he said.
Dr Undenge then handed over copies of the MTP to Governor and Resident Minister for Matabeleland North, Thokozile Mathuthu, representatives of traditional leaders, the business community, NGOs, Rural District Councils, Provincial Administrator, Lupane State University, social clusters and uniformed security forces.
He said the programme belonged to the people and as such, they should be able to read about it and make suggestions for improvements.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Governor Mathuthu said Matabeleland North was poised to be a regional economic giant under the plan.
“Lupane is a virgin city that is rapidly expanding and is ripe for anyone with vision to come and invest and reap amazing benefits. The province can be the food basket for the country and the region if the methane gas, construction projects underway, like the Lupane State University and tourist attractions like the mighty Victoria Falls, Hwange National
Park are fully utilised under the MTP,” said Governor Mathuthu
derick.khumalo