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Patrick Chitumba Senior Reporter
THE implementation of the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset) is in full throttle following an order by President Robert Mugabe to Cabinet ministers to go back to the grassroots to develop people’s ideas for accelerated economic growth and wealth creation.
Addressing hundreds of Zanu-PF supporters at the Matabeleland North provincial Women’s League meeting on Zim-Asset at Lupane State University yesterday, Vice President Joice Mujuru said women were going to play a pivotal role in the success of the economic blueprint.
“As the Zanu-PF government kick-starts the implementation of Zim-Asset, we’re going around the country as the Women’s League leadership talking to women about the economic blueprint,” said VP Mujuru.
“Ministers and other government officials have been ordered by President Mugabe to visit the rural areas, to visit the people to drive development projects.”
Amai Mujuru said Zimbabweans fought for the liberation of the country with no budget but managed to topple the Smith regime.
“Zim-Asset is the best budget we’ve ever had because it gives us no boundaries of what we need to do for as long as we’re not breaking any laws and I’m sure that we’ll achieve our goals. But when we talk about numbers, people start saying we need billions of dollars, no! It’s the beginning of a lifetime, it’s a lifetime project and the beginning is now. We’ll be there and the time is now,” she said.
The Vice President said government officials should go back to the people to appreciate their challenges for purposes of formulating solutions.
She said President Mugabe was concerned with leaders who stayed out of touch with their constituencies.
She added that the Zanu-PF leadership was tired of well-written reports from position holders yet there was nothing tangible on the ground benefiting the masses.
She cited the case of former governors in Manicaland and Mashonaland Central provinces whom she said submitted to her office well-written reports on activities that were not reflected on the ground.
“For example, the Minister of Health and Child Care should visit the rural areas to see the health facilities and get an appreciation as to how the people are accessing medical assistance in times of need.
“The Minister of Transport, officials from the District Development Fund, District Administrators, the Ministry of Local Government . . . they should all go to see the people. They should come back to their offices with strained backs by getting involved in development works in the communities around the country,” she said.
“In Manicaland, we were told that there was a flourishing resettlement centre. So I physically went there and asked the Governor who was there to take me there. We drove and drove and he failed to show us the resettlement.
“Also, in Mashonaland Central, a Governor once indicated in his well-written report that there was a dam and a thriving irrigation scheme where villagers were making money from selling their produce. I again went there and he failed to show us the dam or the irrigation scheme.”
She said through Zim-Asset, people should move away from the “begging syndrome”.
Zim-Asset is an economic turnaround strategy employed by the Zanu-PF government for the next five years. It hinges on four clusters of the economy: Food Security and Nutrition, Social Services and Poverty Eradication, Infrastructure and Utilities, and Value Addition and Beneficiation.
Online Reporter