Gibson Mhaka-Bulawayo Bureau
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is set to receive a 21st Century Visionary Award from African religious leaders attending the Pan African Religious Leaders Assembly Summit in Bulawayo, in recognition of his visionary leadership and Zimbabwe’s ongoing socio-economic transformation.
The award will be presented during the five-day summit, which kicked off in Bulawayo yesterday and brought together religious leaders and delegates from 36 African countries under the theme: “Rise Up: From Dependency to Self-Sufficiency-Every Nation is Built by Its Own People.”
The religious leaders said they were impressed by development projects they encountered during their journey from Harare to Bulawayo, particularly road construction, infrastructure development and the availability of services beyond the capital.
Reverend Annette Dann, representing the United States, said the developments had reinforced her view that President Mnangagwa was a leader who was translating his plans into tangible projects.
“President Mnangagwa is a real visionary. It is not only about saying what you want to do. Some people simply say what they want to do, while others actually implement what they say they want to do,” she said.
“We can see what he has done and it is beautiful. We hope that other countries and leaders in Africa will follow his example to be visionary leaders who take action and do not just speak about what they want to achieve, but actually begin to implement their plans. So, we are honoured to be able to honour him.”
Rev Dann said travelling by road from Harare to Bulawayo had allowed her to see development outside the capital first-hand.
“We travelled from Harare to Bulawayo by bus and were amazed by the road construction, infrastructure and electricity. It is a beautiful country, and it is doing well in terms of development,” she said. “It is a great example to other countries in Africa of how they can begin to develop and grow their countries.”
Rev Dann also pointed to the presence of businesses and services along the route as evidence of economic activity outside Harare.
“There are restaurants, filling stations and all kinds of things that people need, even when they are outside the capital city,” she said.
Rev Dann further commended efforts to attract businesses and investment into Zimbabwe, saying such investment could create employment and opportunities, particularly for women and young people.
“It seems that the country is open to other businesses coming in and that is a blessing for people in the country because those companies bring jobs and opportunities for Zimbabweans, especially women and young people,” she said.
Secretary-General of the Global Council for Churches in Africa (CCA) and PARLA Dr Wallah Wilson also commended President Mnangagwa’s action-oriented leadership.
Dr Wilson said the developments witnessed during the journey between the two cities demonstrated the impact of policies being implemented by the Government.
“What we know of him is that he is a real visionary. It is not only about saying what you want to do. Some people simply say what they want to do, while others actually implement what they say they want to do,” he said.
“We hope that other countries and other leaders in Africa will follow his example to be visionary leaders who take action and do not just speak about what they want to achieve, but actually begin to implement their plans so that the people of the country have more opportunities.”
President of the CCA Uganda Chapter, Reverend Elios Bizimenyera, said African religious leaders had gathered in Zimbabwe to celebrate what she described as the country’s transformation under President Mnangagwa.
“I am here to join other African brothers and sisters to celebrate the visionary leadership of Zimbabwe and recognise the great work that has been done,” she said.
“We travelled all the way from Harare to Bulawayo, and we are honoured to see the beauty of this country and its development.”
Rev Bizimenyera described President Mnangagwa as a transformational leader and said the recognition was also an expression of support for greater continental cooperation.
“We want to recognise you, sir, as a wonderful and loving father and a transformational leader for loving Africa and working together as a family of God,” she said.
Rev Bizimenyera, however, called for greater empowerment of women, saying they should be given more opportunities to participate in leadership and development.
CCA Rwanda Chapter leader Jean Baptiste Ntihabose also praised President Mnangagwa’s leadership, saying developments taking place in Zimbabwe demonstrated a commitment to transforming the country.
He said the award would recognise what he described as a leadership approach focused on development and creating opportunities for citizens.
The recognition aligns with the broader objectives of the PARLA Summit, which seeks to promote self-sufficiency, economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, agriculture, skills development and investment across Africa.
