Online Reporter
Mukudzei Chingwere
Senior Reporter
ALTHOUGH Government is pursuing a comprehensive, all-sector economic development strategy for Zimbabwe to achieve its goals, certain selected and strategic sectors should take the lead, Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga has said.
He said sectors such as agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and mining were key to achieving national development objectives.
VP Chiwenga said all economic sectors should take off, but the four were key and must take the lead, and he will be specifically looking at those sectors during his tours.
So far, VP Chiwenga has visited companies across all sectors in Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North, Bulawayo Metropolitan and the Midlands provinces, evaluating the performance of key industries.
The agricultural sector, which has historically been a backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy and absorbs the largest sector of the population, is particularly under scrutiny, while manufacturing and mining feature prominently in VP Chiwenga’s itinerary.
He said his focus has been on how these sectors can be revived to align with national objectives, while ensuring they operate at their full potential.
“Government is doing an all-sectoral economic development strategy, but for us to achieve our goals, there are certain strategic sectors that should take a lead, and from my tours, my focus has been on these sectors, which are agriculture, tourism, mining and manufacturing,” said VP Chiwenga.
“For us, manufacturing will be driven by the value addition of natural resources and agricultural products. These sectors are critical for achieving the targets outlined in NDS2 and, ultimately, for realising an empowered upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
“These objectives must be met at all costs to improve the living conditions of our people. I have already visited four provinces and plan to cover the remaining six.
“So far, the trajectory is encouraging; some companies are performing exceptionally well, particularly in agricultural production in Matabeleland South, such as Beitbridge, where outcomes are positive. Others have ambitious plans and are working on their implementation, which is encouraging, and we want them to maintain this momentum,” said VP Chiwenga.
The Vice President cautioned economic players against falling into the trap of mere rhetoric.
A significant aspect of VP Chiwenga’s agenda includes the revitalisation of local industries and the promotion of rural industrialisation.
By nurturing these sectors, the Government aims to create jobs, enhance production capabilities and ultimately stimulate economic growth.
“In the mining sector, our key emphasis is on value addition and beneficiation,” he added.
“We must establish industries where resources are extracted so that our citizens can benefit from these God-given resources. While I have encountered some companies struggling, the message is clear: they must strive for improvement.
“Many are setting targets and taking action; what we don’t want is merely boardroom discussions, we want tangible results on the ground. I will continue my visits to the provinces to ensure our expectations are being met,” he said.
