Cabinet has necessary tools to deliver

Emmanuel Ndlovu
THE recent appointment of a new Cabinet by President Mugabe has set the economic empowerment agenda for Team Zanu-PF.
This agenda is not new to Zimbabweans as the ruling party has always championed the emancipation of black people from the yoke of colonial economic injustices.

The new ministers’ duty to guide the country to total economic freedom cannot be over-emphasised. The writing is bold and they have all the necessary tools to achieve this despite the illegal sanctions from the cruel West.

From Team Zanu-PF’s election campaign, we heard the message and gladly the majority was convinced and voted the party back to power. By that victory, the trajectory of economic recovery and growth in all sectors now lies bare before all to see. There should be no confused Zimbabwean out there who still cannot accept that the last hurdle in the war to defeat the enemy is to take control of the economy. We are at peak’s end and the Zanu-PF Government will deliver on the promise of the liberation struggle.
Team Zanu-PF is now in control.

Zimbabweans must have confidence in the popular party and desist from being negative.
I believe, Team Zanu-PF does not necessarily mean only those who support the party because everyone who call themselves citizens of this country. Team Zanu-PF is for people-centred development, meaning that it is working for the advancement of all regardless of party affiliation.

It is vital, however that the people’s revolution nips corruption in the bud. The West with its devious tactics would want to use some among us to divide and derail the economic struggle by corrupting them to work against national interest.
It is known that Washington and its bootlicking allies, Britain, Australia and the European Union will try to dangle the carrot in order to reverse the people’s struggle for self determination.

Officially opening the First Session of the Eighth Parliament on Tuesday last week, President Robert Mugabe warned officials of Government and those outside of it to desist from corruption. He also said necessary structures will be established and reinforced in order to curb this problem. On the same note, the President said that anti-corruption commissioners will be made to declare their assets in public. “My Government will exercise zero tolerance to the scourge of corruption,” said President Mugabe.
What else would a progressive citizen cry about if commitment to root out graft comes from the highest office in the land?
Corruption is the number one enemy of economic progress in any country.

The commitment to stamp out corruption is a clear sign that the new Government means serious business in terms of delivering on the promises it made to the electorate.

Hours after outlining the legislative agenda for the First Session of the Eighth Parliament, the President led the way in exposing the rot within Government. He revealed how Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation chairperson Mr Godwills Masimirembwa allegedly denied investment to the country by demanding a $6 million bribe from a Ghanaian investor. Mr Masimirembwa denies any wrongdoing. Police are now investigating the matter.

While police are now busy with the matter to find out whether or not Mr Masimirembwa did anything wrong, corruption has generally been a growing challenge in both the private and public sectors over the years. Quite recently, we saw some MDC councillors in the urban areas irregularly taking ownership of houses from tenants who had lived in the homes for decades. The treachery also extends to MPs who embezzled their allocations of the Constituency and Development Fund. Many of those accused of such impropriety were MDC-T councillors and MPs and a few from other parties.

This wayward behaviour had negative repercussions on the electability of Mr Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC-T party hence it suffered a humiliating defeat by Zanu-PF in the harmonised elections of 31 July.

President Mugabe also said in order to engender a culture of accountability and efficient service delivery across all sectors, heads of parastatals and local authorities would be subjected to regular performance appraisals. A performance appraisal is an assessment of an employee’s performance of assigned duties and responsibilities. This mechanism boosts performance, and helps in identifying areas that may still need attention in order to achieve the desired ends.

The mechanism is indeed essential as it would hold everyone accountable for their actions. Therefore, it fosters the spirit of team work and achievement across all Government entities.

The discord and disorder which marred the inclusive Government is now a thing of the past and all Zimbabweans are expecting great improvements in all sectors of the economy.

It is worth noting that soon after the appointment of Cabinet and the official opening of Parliament last week, the Zanu-PF Government has shown enthusiasm in terms of meeting the expectations of the people. We are now at that crucial juncture of walking the talk and so the moves must begin.

Many newly appointed ministers have already shown great enthusiasm in meeting the expectations of the electorate. For example, Industry and Commerce Minister, Cde Mike Bimha has revealed the Government’s preparedness to revive struggling and collapsed industries in Bulawayo. The revival of industries in the City of Kings would definitely give a heavy sigh of relief to most people especially youths who constitute a huge number of the unemployed individuals in the city.

The inclusive Government thwarted the revival of industries in Bulawayo due to the reluctance by the then Finance Minister, Mr Tendai Biti of MDC-T to release adequate funds under the Distressed Industries and Marginalised Areas Fund (Dimaf). Originally, this funding facility was meant to revamp industries in the City of Kings but ended up being spread to other towns and cities.

The newly appointed Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Dr Obert Mpofu has also said he is geared to ensure the completion of ongoing and outstanding projects across the country. These include the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, completion of a number of road projects and the refurbishment of the National Railways of Zimbabwe.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Cde Nicholas Goche has promised salary increments for civil servants. During the term of the inclusive Government, the issue of civil servants’ remuneration was used as an instrument of politicking. Mr Biti persistently said there was no money in Government coffers.

Environment, Water and Climate Minister, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Professor Jonathan Moyo and Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Engineer Walter Mzembi have visited Hwange National Park to witness the game poisoning catastrophe that, by late last week, killed more than 60 elephants. On Friday, Cde Kasukuwere was in Bulawayo, touring the city’s water supply dams and ordered the Zimbabwe National Water Authority to pump water from Mtshabezi Dam 24 hours a day to alleviate the water shedding in Bulawayo.

Almost all newly appointed ministers have shown a high level of motivation and determination to advance the development agenda of Zanu-PF in line with the party’s election manifesto.

Now that the ground has been levelled with blockages removed on the way after the defeat of MDC-T on 31 July elections, it is the responsibility of every citizen to work hand in glove with their Government to achieve economic stability and social development.
Teamwork and accountability have to be engendered in every serious citizen at all levels of society. Everyone has to be responsible for his/her actions.

Youths who have all the needed energy and fresh ideas should be at the forefront in driving the economic turnaround.
A majority of citizens has the tendency of sitting on their laurels and assuming the role of spectators of what the Government seeks to achieve for them. They watch the efforts of Government from afar with a wait-and-see attitude. Some feel that Government is a body functioning independently from them with the aim of meeting their endless needs.

The full participation of citizens in working closely with Government is essential if the goal of attaining economic stability and total empowerment of people is to be realised.

This is not an exclusive task for President Mugabe and Zanu-PF alone. It is every patriotic Zimbabwean’s responsibility irrespective of one’s political affiliation. Every citizen envisions a successful Zimbabwe with a robust economy in the near future. However, the nation may not realise this economic boom if citizens fail to cooperate with the new Government.