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THE curtain yesterday came down on 2016 and today we welcome 2017 with open arms full of hope that the problems that we encountered have also gone down with the previous year.
At the same time it is our hope that the achievements recorded in the just ended year will remain with us. However, we are not in doubt that Zimbabweans will look at 2016 with mixed feelings, for it was an eventful and dramatic year. What with the political drama that unfolded across the country from factional fights in political parties to amateur demonstrations against the country’s constitutionally elected Government by self-serving pseudo democrats sponsored by the usual suspects, the Western embassies who up to now are still bitter about President Mugabe’s people-centred Land Reform Programme.
On the economic front the nation witnessed cash shortages, which almost sent everyone into a panic mode as people started fearing for the worst. However, as we bid farewell to 2016 we look forward to 2017 with renewed hope taking into consideration what we are seeing on the economic horizon. We have no doubt that Zimbabwe is poised for growth economically and we derive this from the prospect of a good farming season. Our hopes are anchored on the good rains that the country has been experiencing so far in different parts of the country. We also derive our hopes from the economic programmes that the Government has laid on the table for all to see.
Economic revival and industry resuscitation has been pinned on Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016, popularly referred to as SI 64/2016 which was promulgated in June this year and the specialised Command Agriculture Project which are crucial interventions that the 2017 budget will build on.
Ably supported, the two interventions can provide the tonic to the country’s economic challenges, in the short, medium and long term.
It is our bold belief and hope that with necessary support, the interventions by the Government will see the country finding its economic footing and be counted among the region’s exporters as well as retain its bread basket status in the Sadc bloc.
A report by Buy-Zimbabwe shows that demand for local goods increased notably, since the introduction of SI64, while the volume of imports has also declined after the introduction of the restrictions.
According to the report imports declined by eight percent from $429 million to 394 million in the first two month of the introduction of SI64, compared to the same period in 2015.
We therefore submit here and now the need for everyone’s buy in that goes beyond mere rhetoric this year going forward in the economic interventions by the Government such as SI64/16 aimed at stimulating local production, boosting local industry and creating employment in the same breath.
The country’s economy is in a critical state and needs to recover, thus retrogressive sentiments to recovery interventions are not welcome and should be treated with the contempt they deserve.
Another pro-production intervention by Government is the specialised Command Agriculture Project whose thrust is to boost local maize production and put paid to food security concerns.
The importance of agriculture to the country’s economy can never be overemphasised; hence any efforts to support the agricultural sector are welcome and should be supported.
Funded to the tune of $500 million, the Command Agriculture Project aims to produce two million tonnes of maize from 400 000 hectares of land, against an annual national grain demand of 1,7 million tonnes.
Command Agriculture will see the emergency of green belts, as new irrigation schemes have been established while old ones that have been lying idle are being resuscitated.
However, despite the challenges of 2016 which were craftily put to rest with the ruling Zanu-PF coming out of its 2016 Annual National People’s Conference held in Masvingo a united political outfit and also the introduction of bond notes that have managed to see depositors accessing their money from banks during the festive season, it looks like not all is gloom as predicted by the country’s detractors.
The problems that the country experienced can, however, be located in the political sphere with the detractors all too eager to effect regime change. However, as usual Zanu-PF had to contend with that and conquered. This is because Zanu-PF is always prepared for tactics that decide the fate of battles.
We also take this opportunity to urge Zimbabweans to continue working hard for the good of the country.
Our people should also remain united and continue to fend off our detractors who are foul hearted. We say so with the deepest affection for our country and this is from the bottom of our hearts.
Online Reporter