Chronicle Editor
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) has stressed the need to continue encouraging an integrated approach in national healing and nation building while urging Government to provide safety nets for the vulnerable people in the community.
POLAD co-conveners Retired Justice Sello Mare and Mrs Margaret Mukahanana Sangarwe acknowledged that the year had been a tough one largely because of the coronavirus pandemic but they managed to register some successes.
“Despite the advent of the novel coronavirus, the year 2020 has been an eventful year for POLAD. POLAD successfully hosted an economic summit which came up with strategies to stimulate economic growth. To that end, a report was produced incorporating all the recommendations which were submitted to the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr. E.D Mnangagwa. Some of the recommendations have already started being implemented which shows the Government’s commitment in addressing the nation’s challenges,” they noted.
POLAD also noted that it successfully hosted an anti-corruption workshop which brought together all the major players in the fight against corruption. They also reaffirmed their position that active public involvement is required in combating corruption in Zimbabwe.
They also took part in the crafting of the latest economic blueprint, “Importantly, POLAD participated in the crafting of the National Development Strategy (1), Zimbabwe’s latest five-year economic blueprint. It is envisaged that the National Development Strategy will transform Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income society by 2030. Furthermore, POLAD through the Governance and Legislative Agenda Thematic Committee has been involved in the consultative process of the Constitutional Amendment (No. 2) Bill and has proffered recommendations to Government,” they noted.
POLAD highlighted that it was working on proposals on political and electoral reforms which will be tabled before Government.
POLAD also held an interface with the Ad Hoc Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Covid-19 to understand Government’s responsiveness towards combating the pandemic.
“POLAD commends the measures that the Government has put in place to mitigate the spread of Covid 19 and calls upon all stakeholders to continue supporting the Government in its quest to curb the virus,” they highlighted.
During the year, POLAD managed to engage with Captains of industry which provided an opportunity for them to deliberate on the specific challenges being faced by the business community during this Covid 19 era.
More importantly POLAD said they continue to call for the unconditional removal of sanctions against Zimbabwe which have not only hampered national development but have resulted in untold suffering of our citizens.
@NyembeziMu
Bongani Ndlovu