Online Reporter
Trish Mukwazo in BULAWAYO
THE Second Republic is committed to the restoration of the dignity and well-being of retired citizens who, in the past, contributed immensely to the country’s development, President Mnangagwa said yesterday.
Addressing delegates to the 2025 Public Service Retirement Conference in Bulawayo, President Mnangagwa, in a speech read on his behalf by Vice President Kembo Mohadi, paid tribute to the valuable contributions of retired civil servants and noted the determination of those in service towards driving national development despite challenges.
He commended the theme of the conference: “Retirement planning in action: Transforming insights into realities”, saying it resonated deeply with the Government’s collective vision and mainstreaming of strategic retirement planning as one of the key pillars towards attainment of an inclusive Vision 2030.
“Retirement planning is not a peripheral issue; it’s the heartbeat of Vision 2030. An upper middle-income society is measured not only by economic metrics but by the dignity and security of its people, especially its retirees,” said President Mnangagwa.
“Moreover, our macro-economic stabilisation efforts have borne fruit. A stable local currency is the bedrock upon which our public servants can save, invest and plan with certainty.
“By raising the retirement age from 65 to 70, we have empowered our most experienced professionals, our doctors, engineers, teachers and administrators, to contribute longer while securing their financial futures.
“This is not just policy; it is our Government’s unwavering commitment to ensure that those who build Zimbabwe are themselves built up.”
He said the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) blueprint had laid the foundation, with its pillars of inclusivity, human capital development and sustainable growth.
As the country prepared to launch NDS2, the last lap towards reaching the milestone Vision 2030 goals, President Mnangagwa said his Government would carry forward and consolidate the gains achieved so far.
This would ensure that retirees are not just pensioners but potential farmers, consultants, artisans and community leaders.
“This is what it means to transform insights into realities,” said the President.
He recalled how last year’s inaugural conference ignited a national conversation that declared retirement planning as a cornerstone of a prosperous and inclusive Zimbabwe.
“We set ambitious goals to empower our public servants with the tools, knowledge and systems to transition into retirement with confidence and purpose.
“We envisioned a nation where every civil servant could retire not into uncertainty, but into opportunity,” said President Mnangagwa.
“Today, we take stock of that vision, celebrate our progress and recommend turning insights into tangible realities.”
He commended the Public Service Commission for diligently executing its Constitutional mandate with commendable resolve in line with Section 199 of the Constitution, which tasked the PSC with ensuring an efficient, professional and forward-thinking public service.
“Guided by Government policy and in alignment with our national vision and attendant strategies, the PSC has demonstrated that it is not merely administering policy but giving practical expression to it,” said the President.
“Initiatives such as this conference are, therefore, not isolated programmes; they are an extension of our collective commitment to building a public service that is responsive, patriotic and future-oriented.”
Under a new dawn for retirement planning, President Mnangagwa said he was aware of the historical scars left by hyperinflation, which eroded the savings of many pensioners and assured citizens of the Government commitment to restore dignity through justice, innovation and empowerment.
The Justice Smith Commission of Inquiry, put in place by President Mnangagwa to investigate the conversion of insurance and pension policies, particularly the management of pension and insurance funds and the erosion of retirement savings, was a good example of how Government had worked with diligence to redress the past injustices endured by the pensioners.
“Its recommendations reflect our Government’s unwavering commitment to equitable solutions. We have listened, we have acted, and we will continue to act until every pensioner’s dignity is restored,” said President Mnangagwa.
“The 2024 amendment to the Pension and Provident Funds Act stands as a landmark reform in this journey, marking a decisive step towards protecting pensioners, strengthening accountability and restoring confidence in our retirement system.
“This legislation establishes a modern, transparent, and robust pension system, mandating inflation-proof investments and stringent governance to safeguard contributions.”
The intervention was a direct response to the lessons of the past, ensuring that no Zimbabwean ever again lost their life’s savings to economic volatility.
“This Bill is not just law, it is my Administration’s covenant with the people, a promise that your future is as sacred as your service,” he added.
“The National Housing Delivery Programme stands as a shining example of our Government’s commitment. It’s set to deliver 1 million housing units as part of Vision 2030, with a significant portion allocated to civil servants.”
As part of the Government’s policy on decentralisation and devolution, President Mnangagwa said the transformation of rural communities with modern housing designs, clean water infrastructure, solar-powered energy systems, irrigation schemes and vibrant local economies was a solid foundation for dignified living.
“It’s within such transformed settings that our retirees should joyfully return, not to retreat from life, but to embrace it anew, contributing to the building of model communities and the advancement of rural livelihoods,” he said.
“Retirement, in this context, ceases to be an end; it becomes a dignified continuation of service to family, community and country, anchored in financial wellness, social belonging and the shared vision of a prosperous Zimbabwe under Vision 2030.”
The President challenged higher and tertiary education institutions to innovate around retirement preparedness, saying innovation hubs within universities should actively explore ways to reskill and re-purpose civil servants, equipping them with the tools and mindsets for meaningful engagement beyond active service.
Paying tribute to the country’s forebears who fought the First and Second Chmurenga/Umvukela leading to the attainment of independence in 1980, President Mnangagwa urged Zimbabweans to approach today’s challenges with patience, courage and collective resolve.
“May the spirit of their dedication ignite a ripple effect across the nation, strengthening systems that honour the contributions of public servants and safeguard the futures of generations to come. We triumphed then and united, we shall triumph again,” he said.
