adminAlbert Nhamoyebonde Correspondent
Two important events took place this year. The first was the July 31 harmonised elections and the second, the recently held ZANU-PF Annual People’s Conference. The two events helped define what Zimbabweans need and now it is time to generate political will required to grow and manage our economy.
Political will is critical if Zimbabwe is to confront and overcome the major challenges it is facing in growing its economy.
President Mugabe has put it in a nutshell. It is not shareholding that defines indigenisation but the ability to set up our own companies.
May I put it in another way; it is the ability to use our own resources like land to grow maize and other crops that would be utilised by our own companies to manufacture finished products.
What is simpler to process platinum or to process soya bean into oil, maize into mealie meal, nuts into peanut butter, milk into butter;
cheese etc. Why should all these products be imported? Is it because we have no ability or skills?
Today, we have our own farms which we own 100 percent. What we produce on these farms can make us start our own companies.
President Mugabe is a leading example, setting up a modern highly technological diary and factory that is now producing finished products which we see on our supermarket shelves. That is what we should do if we are to grow this economy and that requires political will.
We can’t continue crying about the problem of funding as it has been with us for many years. Instead, we should have come up with a lasting solution to this problem. The problem of funding has been with us for many years. But there is a culture that has prevented us from finding a lasting solution. It is the ability to pay back loans. Banks have money which belongs to depositors and when they loan it out they need it back after a period so that depositors can get it back when in demand.
Secondly, we ought to ensure that heads and boards of parastatals and Government entities do not abuse public funds by awarding themselves huge salaries and allowances at the expense of the workers and service delivery to the public who fund these organisations.
Like in other countries, the Ministry of Finance must determine the salaries and allowances for public officers where Government has a stake. But in Zimbabwe, no-one knows what role our Finance ministry plays. Can anyone blame the public for hoarding their hard earned money?
From past practices, money borrowed has not been paid back. Yes the Government has taken over these loans to make these organisations have a fresh start but the question is where will it get the money to repay these loans?
The country is therefore facing a fundamental issue, that of accountability. Who is accountable for making sure that public finances are looked after and not abused? Is there political will to stamp out the abuse of public funds?
It is clearly political will that is required to make sure that every piece of land allocated for agriculture is utilised.
We cannot keep on blaming climate change for lack of production on our farms when the same climate produces surplus food in Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique.
Political will is required to map out the necessary requirements for a sustainable economic development. Loans advanced must be paid back. Abuse of public funds must be severely punished. Treasury must assume its supervisory role to make sure that public utilities and organizations are accountable for public finances.
Online Reporter