adminMukudzei Chingwere Midlands Correspondent
This year’s independence celebrations are unique in that they come as the leadership moves from political rhetoric to economic freedom, which should mark the completion of the liberation ethos, an official has said.
Zimbabwe on Thursday celebrates 39 years of self-rule from a white minority after an arduous war of liberation.
At the conclusion of the liberation struggle, Zimbabweans across the political divide attained political independence where their human rights are respected and equal opportunities availed to all despite their race.
President Mnangagwa’s administration has been pushing towards Vision 2030 —which is expected to turn the country into an upper middle income economy.
In an interview, Shurugwi South National Assembly member Cde Edmond Mkaratigwa said the liberation war had been won systematically and now the new dispensation was heading towards economic transformation.
“This year’s independence celebrations are unique in that the leadership is moving towards economic freedom through Vision 2030,” he said. “We have gained our political freedoms, our rights and equal opportunities, but now Government is moving towards the resuscitation of the economy which will be a fulfilment of the liberation ethos.
“Zimbabwe is endowed with vast raw materials and following the Zanu-PF election victory last year, its Government is determined that all those are put to good use to benefit all of us and ensure, among other things, food security.
“I am always on the ground in my constituency so that I get to know what really is required to develop this constituency for the benefit of people in Shurugwi South.”
In an earlier interview, Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Larry Mavima outlined the importance of town status for Shurugwi.
“Taking into consideration the growing population, it is important that we grow and modernise, we want to become a middle income economy which means we definitely need to improve our structures,” he said.
“Considering the amount of wealth that is in Shurugwi —gold is there, platinum is there —we need to use it to improve our infrastructure.
“At the moment, there is no development in Shurugwi that has been taking place for a long while and we cannot continue to remain behind when other towns are growing.
“Government is talking of value addition and beneficiation to the raw materials we have and that will be done by industries. Once we have a fully fledged town we can start talking of coming up with industries and once that has been done issues like unemployment will be a thing of the past.”
Online Reporter