adminMuchadure Dube
PRESIDENT Mugabe delivered his State of the Nation Address to a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate on Tuesday where he managed to give strategic direction necessary for the economy to revitalise and grow in leaps and bounce.
That strategic economic direction is espoused in a Ten –Point Plan which President Mugabe enunciated. The essence of the State of the Nation Address is for the Head of State and Government to provide strategic direction and set a solid agenda for the nation .The agenda could be political and even economic. In the case of President Mugabe‘s address, it set the tone for the nation’s economic revival and expected growth.
The address came on the backdrop of President Mugabe’s historic State visit to China where mega economic deals were signed covering key projects in roads,energy,railways,telecommunications,water,agricuilture,mining and agriculture. In order for the economy to roar as expected, economic enablers such as the road and railway infrastructure has to be in a sound state.
The Government has already refurbished and gave a new lease of life to roads which were in a dilapidated state, key examples being the Plumtree-Harare-Mutare Highway which is in top notch condition.
Recently the Government gave preference to the Beitbridge-Masvingo-Harare-Chirundu Road, a key economic enabler for Zimbabwe and the entire Southern African Development Community region. It is such initiatives and commitment to the national cause which will engender the economic agenda to lofty heights for the good of the nation. The nation has always benefited from the visionary leadership of President Mugabe which continues to spur the nation to greater economic heights.
The 10-Point Plan has the Implementation of Special Economic Zones which are expected to be vehicles for attracting and accommodating foreign direct investment as a core issue in its economic persuits. The nation needs foreign direct investment to complement local investment by Zimbabweans, a scenario which will enhance the growth of the national cake. Once the national cake grows, various opportunities will emerge from it where Zimbabweans will draw their survival from.
The growth of the economy will naturally create the much-needed employment opportunities which also trigger other economic forces of demand and supply, hence shared economy growth will be the resultant effect. The example of China which managed to revamp its parastatals to be the engine of economic growth should always be a reminder to Zimbabwe that reorientation and realignments of state entities has the potential to rejuvenate the economy.
President Mugabe captures the spirit of which should engulf the nation when he exhorts entrepreneurs to enter into public-private partner who will boost the role and performance of State owned companies.
Certainly, the country’s chief executive further vowed to ensure that private sector participation will be encouraged in the country by creating conducive environment which catalyze their proliferation.
The current tumultuous labour genres which exist in the country will also be looked into, as reflected by the amendments in the Labour Act which upholds the significance of the employer and the employee.
For production to increase in the productive sector and elsewhere in the nation, there is need to ensure that the rights and dignity of workers are respected. The positive effect of instilling such humane laws is to boost the morale of workers hence it naturally increases their confidence and production. This will enable the country to produce in excess, which will stimulate the need and necessity to export, in the process generating the much needed foreign currency which is critical in the country’s balance of payment.
It is important to note that President Mugabe recognized the importance of agriculture by stressing that government will revitalize the sector and ensure that the agro value processing chain is enhanced.
Further, President Mugabe pointed out in his 10-Point Plan that beneficiation will be advanced in the agricultural sector and the mining resources will have value added upon them.
The agricultural sector is the backbone of the economy since raw materials which are critical in various other sectors are derived from them. It is also critical to note that agricultural sector feeds the nation .It is a fact that a well fed nation is stable and that stability will spur the populace to be industrious in their bid to develop it. The Zanu-PF led Government should then be applauded for devoting enormous resources to that sector since it is the backbone to the livelihoods of the people.
The sanctions related economic hardships destroyed the foundation which the Zanu-PF led Government had made in the manufacturing and the productive sector.
The Government has, however, mitigated the debilitating effects of these heinous embargoes by capacitating the small and medium enterprise that have hitherto shown signs of being mega business in the future.
In the 10-Point Plan which President Mugabe proffered to the nation, the Government will devote resources to consolidate the gains it has made in the building of the architecture of small and medium enterprises. That drive to grow these enterprises will prove to be the magic feat in the creation of employment for the populace.
The government has therefore to continue unlocking the enormous potential of these enterprises for posterity to benefit from current policies.
President Mugabe also pledged that Government will continue monitoring the activities of the financial sector with a view of restoring and building its confidence and stability. The financial sector has to be in sync with the developmental needs of the society.
The financial sector has to finance the various sectors that constitute the economy of the nation. Having such a vision in the financial services sector will be a giant step in the amelioration of the developmental bottlenecks in the economy.
It must be recalled that basic economics exhort that it is the financial sector that drives growth of the economy. A patriotic financial sector will therefore unlock value in the various sectors that constitute the economy.If there is a factor which has derailed economic growth in Third World countries, it is corruption where only a handful, greedy individuals consume on behalf of the majority. Such despicable behaviour which is contemptuous of the basic principle of ubuntu is an enemy to the people.
In other progressive countries such as China, such anomalous behaviour is met with death for it deprives the majority of basic survival. President Mugabe mentioned Government’s commitment to eradicate this vice. It is abhorrent hence collective effort is needed to root out this vice.
Certainly, with such well thought and robust economic prescriptions, the nation’s economic fortunes will turn over a new leaf characterised by immense growth.
Muchadura Dube is a Nyanga-based farmer and political analyst
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