Let new players invest in parastatals: Mashakada

struggling parastatals to achieve economic growth and development.
“The Government will focus on Zesa, Hwange Colliery, National Railways, Grain Marketing Board, National Oil Company of Zimbabwe, Air Zimbabwe and Agricultural Rural Development Agency among others.
“Rail network is critical for economic transformation as it connects all major economic centres providing transport for bulk raw materials, finished goods and passengers,” said Minister Mashakada.
He was addressing delegates at the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce annual congress in Nyanga.
The minister said Government would focus on rehabilitation of the existing rail track infrastructure, signalling and telecommunications systems and recovery of cautions.
Minister Mashakada told delegates that rehabilitation of most of these parastatals was critical for economic transformation.
“Reliable air transport is essential for the transformation of the economy. Key on Government’s agenda is to look for a strategic partner for the recapitalisation, rehabilitation and efficient management of the national airline.
“Most national airlines the world over have either been privatised or have invited private strategic partners,” he said.
He added that the Government would also focus on implementing the Open Skies Policy to ensure provision of an efficient and modern air transport system.
Minister Mashakada said to support the transformation of the economy, Government will in the short-term focus on both rehabilitation of existing capacity and new investment.
In line with economic development, Minister Mashakada also made reference to the Medium Term Plan, which will guide the development of the country during the next five years.
The MTP will guide all other Government policy documents, national budgets and set out clearly the national priorities and investment programmes.
“One of the key priorities of MTP is the transformation of the country from a producer of primary products to a producer of diverse, competitively priced manufactured products,” he said.
The MTP seeks to address the challenges that industry is currently facing and put the country on a sustained recovery path.
Minister Mashakada said the country has come up with the development model that is drawn from both African best practices and the Asian countries, which should result in the transformation of the country during the next 5 years.