Joseph Madzimure
OUTCOMES of Zanu-PF’s 23rd National People’s Conference, which will be held in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West province, this week, are expected to give fresh momentum to Zimbabwe’s economic growth and development, with the ruling party prioritising the implementation of its resolutions.
The conference, running under the theme “Moving from Resolutions to Results: Consolidating Economic Development and Deepening Empowerment Towards Vision 2030”, comes as the ruling party seeks to build on progress recorded in key sectors of the economy while ensuring that economic growth translates into tangible benefits for ordinary Zimbabweans.
In interview with The Sunday Mail, Zanu-PF National Political Commissar Cde Munyaradzi Machacha said more than 80 percent of the resolutions from last year were either implemented or are at various stages of implementation.
“We have done extremely well,” he said.
The resolutions, he said, had informed Government policy decisions that were contributing to economic expansion, particularly in manufacturing, agriculture and tourism.
“We have had resolutions to do with the economy and I am sure the current growth of the economy — the expansion that is taking place in manufacturing, agriculture and tourism, among other sectors — bears testimony to the strength of our party,” he said.
“There are many other resolutions that we made, calling for certain policy decisions to be made by the Government, which have resulted in the unprecedented successes that we are all enjoying today.”
This week’s conference is expected to assess progress on those commitments while setting priorities for the coming year, with the party seeking to accelerate industrialisation, expand investment, strengthen rural economies and improve the livelihoods of ordinary Zimbabweans.
Cde Machacha said the resolutions were intended to drive the implementation of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which prioritises industrial expansion, innovation, rural industrialisation and value addition as key pathways towards sustainable economic growth.
“What are resolutions all about? Results! What is NDS2 all about? It’s about results! It’s about innovation,” he said.
“It’s about expanding our industrial base, placing industries where people are, where people live through rural industrialisation. It’s about value addition, turning our raw materials into semi-processed or finished goods.”
He said the party wanted NDS2 implemented faster to ensure that economic growth translated into tangible benefits for communities across the country.
“So, our resolutions are actually driving the NDS2 programme to be implemented as quickly as possible so that we can achieve the results we so desire of being an upper middle-income economy by 2030,” he said.
The most consequential outcome of the ruling party’s resolutions, Cde Machacha added, was the enactment of Constitutional Amendment Act Number 3, which fundamentally transforms that country’s governance architecture.
“Most importantly on governance, I should mention the enactment of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Act Number 3, which was a major success,” he said.
Cde Machacha said some resolutions required longer implementation periods, particularly those involving infrastructure development and structural changes.
He said the party was, however, making progress in translating its decisions into action.
“Most of our resolutions either have been completed or are a work in progress, depending on the timelines that are required before completion,” he said.
This week’s conference will also provide an opportunity for the party to assess progress in social services and other development programmes, as it seeks to strengthen the link between policy decisions and outcomes experienced by communities, he added.
The gathering is expected to bring together more than 3 280 official delegates from the country’s 10 provinces.
Preparations for the conference were complete, with the main venue and supporting infrastructure ready to accommodate delegates, although road maintenance work around Chinhoyi was continuing.
“The conference hall and all the supporting structures are in place,” he said.
“The renovations on the accommodation side at the venue have been done and have been completed, with new beds and linen purchased and already in place.
“So, I can safely say that as far as the conference is concerned and the state of preparedness is concerned, we are as good as done. We are 100 percent ready.”
