Nyore Madzianike
Senior Reporter
President Mnangagwa has said the ZANU PF National People’s Conference will provide a platform to review national development priorities, assess challenges facing the country and devise strategies to accelerate the country’s attainment of an empowered and prosperous upper middle-income society by 2030.
He said this at the inaugural Presidential Ball, a fundraising dinner aimed at raising US$6 million for the party’s 23rd National People’s Conference that begins tomorrow and ends on Saturday.
It will be held in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West province.
First Lady and ZANU PF Secretary for Environment and Tourism Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and Vice President Dr Kembo Mohadi, who is also the ruling party’s Second Secretary, attended the dinner, which brought together representatives from the business sector, churches and other organisations affiliated with the revolutionary party.
President Mnangagwa said business leaders and political actors should prioritise national interests and intensify efforts towards achieving Vision 2030.
“The forthcoming ZANU PF National People’s Conference is a platform at which we reflect on our development priorities, consider challenges facing our country and formulate appropriate responses for the Zimbabwe we all want,” he said.
“The theme of the conference, ‘From Resolutions to Results: Consolidating Economic Development and Deepening Empowerment towards Vision 2030’, reminds us that the true value of our deliberations and decisions should be measurable, transformative and impactful.
“I, thus, emphasise to us gathered here, as leaders of various fields and enterprises, the importance of placing our national interests and the people of our great motherland at the centre of all activities. Together, as political actors, along with you in business and society, we are called upon to do more to accelerate the realisation of an empowered and prosperous upper middle-income society by 2030.”
President Mnangagwa said his administration would continue consolidating the political and economic environment to promote investment, enterprise, innovation and productive activity. He expressed confidence that business and industry would contribute to national development under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), while complying with the country’s laws and meeting their statutory obligations.
“Under my administration, ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’. We continue to consolidate a political and economic environment where investment, enterprise, innovation and productive activity flourish,” said President Mnangagwa.
“I am confident that as business and industry, you will play your part by running with the national Vision and NDS2, as well as adhering to all laws, including meeting all statutory obligations. Always lead by example.”
President Mnangagwa called upon businesses to exploit opportunities arising from Zimbabwe’s participation in regional and international organisations, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He said these platforms offered opportunities to access wider markets and establish investment partnerships, while encouraging businesses to add value to the country’s natural resources.
ZANU PF members were encouraged to embrace investment opportunities and build a broader asset base to generate long-term income and ensure sustainable party financing.
The President said with unity of purpose, “we can all achieve development and a higher quality of life, where no one and no place is left behind”.
He thanked individuals and organisations that supported the party during the year, saying their contributions would strengthen its capacity to implement programmes and activities, including preparations for the conference.
“In donating to the party, we contribute to our organisation whose structures, programmes and activities require resources,” said President Mnangagwa.
“Through our generous gifts, we strengthen the party’s capacity to discharge its mandate and, most immediately, support the successful hosting of this year’s 23rd National People’s Conference.”
President Mnangagwa said supporting party programmes and building a prosperous Zimbabwe was a shared responsibility of party members and citizens.
“It is, therefore, our individual and collective responsibility to support party programmes and create conditions for a more prosperous future,” he said.
“ZANU PF is a People’s Party; a colossal revolutionary mass party, and everyone is welcome in ZANU PF. Homwe yeMusangano wedu haizari, munhu wose anokwana muZANU PF.”
