adminThis is the first month of 2016 and millions of Zimbabweans have great expectations about not only what they want to achieve at a personal level, but also what they want to see happening in their motherland in the next 12 months.
At the same time, the turn of the New Year always offers a huge opportunity for sober reflections on the past year, which provides an opening for redefining objectives for the 12 months ahead.
We want to believe this sense of hope was expressed by the celebrations across the length and breadth of the country when the clock struck midnight on Thursday last week.
This was also captured by the Christians who thronged worship places for overnight vigils to pray for a better tomorrow.
As we look ahead in 2016, we should not fail to take note of the fact that last year was a difficult one for Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans in general, especially the poor state of the economy, characterised by the continued closure of companies. However, 2015 was a year full of promise, best symbolised by the visits by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Nigerian investor, Aliko Dangote. Our hope is that as we enter 2016, all the signed investment deals and agreements will start to bear fruit.
Many Zimbabweans will be hoping to see changes for the better in their lives — they will want to see an improved economy, where more job opportunities are created; a good farming season and a united and peaceful Zimbabwe as they work with greater purpose to restore national pride.
It is no secret that political temperatures will certainly rise this year ahead of the 2018 general election. We believe we can do a better job at managing our political processes. We will not be demanding too much from political leaders if we want a non-violent environment to prevail.
We are not afraid to state unequivocally that political leaders who incite others to violence must be held accountable.
Zimbabweans will also look out for the fulfilment of pledges made during the past 12 months. They will want to see an improvement in water and power supplies. Progress has been made at the Kariba power expansion project, Hwange Thermal Power Station and the Dema power project. Our industries, offices and homes need uninterrupted power supply.
Zimbabweans also want to see results on the war on corruption in 2016 with the judiciary and the police playing a bigger role.
Last year, there have been shocking revelations about mega-looting from the Ministry of Finance and we want to see the culprits brought to book. It is gratifying that one of President Mugabe’s 10-point Plan for Economic Growth is commitment to pursuing an anti-corruption thrust, prosecution of corrupt public officials and recovering the loot they took.
Fighting corruption is no easy task because the resources at the hands of corrupt individuals are immense and the culture of corruption is deep rooted and omnipresent. Precisely for these reasons, there must a national conversation in 2016 about the most effective strategies for combating corruption.
As 2016 proceeds, we hope to see successful prosecutions of corrupt public officials who are sent on long jail terms and from whom the loot stolen is recovered.
Another critical issue that needs attention in 2016 is that of high medical bills, which have been a heavy burden on many families largely because most hospitals are too poorly equipped to handle complicated medical conditions.
This has forced many patients to seek treatment overseas in countries like India. We need a solution to this. We may have the qualified medical personnel to do the job, but we do not have the hospitals and equipment.
Another big challenge for 2016 is one of averting hunger and starvation.
Many areas in the country had poor harvests in the last farming season and food shortages are already being experienced in parts of Manicaland such as Chipinge and Buhera, Matebeleland, Masvingo and Midlands. Responsible authorities need to act fast and move food to the needy areas.
The situation could actually get worse for the current farming season with little rains having been received so far. The meteorological office is also painting a gloomy rainfall season owing to the debilitating effects of climate change. With our many big dams and big rivers throughout the country, there is no excuse why we should not turn to irrigation farming as the mainstay of our agriculture.
In Manicaland for example, we have Osborne Dam, Rudi Dam, Rusape Dam, Barawara Dam, Murwira Dam and Springviel Dam, whose water we are simply losing to evaporation. Why can we not harness this water and turn the surrounding areas into green fields that will be major food sources for both domestic and export markets?
Zimbabwe has the potential to succeed and overcome its myriad of challenges. Our hope for 2016 therefore is for Zimbabweans, in general, to fulfil their dreams and make Zimbabwe take its rightful place on the global stage.
Online Reporter