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The New Dispensation has achieved a lot in terms of development since its inception in 2017 when major political changes took place in Zimbabwe.
Since then, there has been a clear national development strategy pronounced by President Mnangagwa’s administration.
This strategy is hinged on the ultimate desire to ensure that the country achieves an upper middle income economy by 2030, and eventually uplift all people from poverty.
This article will examine some of the development strategies that the Second Republic has been pushing to ensure Zimbabwe moves to the next level in its development trajectory.
Industrialisation, modernisation and innovation
President Mnangagwa is on record indicating on several occasions that Zimbabwe’s development process will be driven by industrialisation, modernisation and innovation.
As a result, efforts have been made in various sectors to ensure the industrialisation process takes off, especially with the support of innovation and technological advancement.
Innovation hubs have been set up at national universities throughout the country to enable students to come up with innovations that can assist in industrial growth.
These innovation hubs act as incubation hubs for the concepts, and their link with industries will ensure that these ideas are developed.
While implementing the strategy of rejuvenating the country through industrialisation, science and technology, it is important that the New Dispensation has emphasised on building an innovation-driven economy.
As a primary productive force, science and technology are a revolutionary force sustaining the progress of human civilisation.
In this era, technology, particularly the strategic high-tech, is becoming the decisive force of economic and social development and a force of competition in overall national strength.
It has since become clear that those who take advantage of science and technology will become competitive in the production of goods and services.
The New Dispensation’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) is clear on the issues related to industrialisation, modernisation and innovation.
According to NDS1, human capital development and innovation will create the right conditions for a knowledge driven economy for sustained growth, industrialisation and modernisation of the country.
To achieve the objectives, Government has since introduced Education 5.0 which produces entrepreneurs, quality goods and services.
Education 5.0 equips graduates with skills that empower them to become innovative towards societal development through transformative science and technology knowledge application that delivers goods and services.
Under NDS1, the Government has been setting up and operationalise Innovation Hubs and Industrial Parks in institutions of higher learning.
It has also been investing in new and existing institutions of technology.
Devolution
Devolution is about ensuring that the lower tiers of governance like provinces and districts take responsibility for development within their regions.
These are empowered with making certain decisions that had been previously a preserve of the central Government.
Devolution is one of the anchors of the development strategy of the New Dispensation and its implementation is progressing well.
The Second Republic has already started allocating budgets to local authorities for devolution purposes, with the programme receiving $2,93 billion in the 2020 national budget, $19,5 billion in 2021 and $42 billion this year.
These budget allocations signalled a new approach to the implementation of the devolution concept in Zimbabwe.
Devolution is expected to balance out development across the nation so that no one and no region is left behind, in line with the aspirations of achieving an upper middle income economy by 2030.
The goal is not just the affluence of people in some regions, but shared prosperity of the entire population in every corner of the country.
The regions that will get rich first through the implementation of devolution will stand to inspire others to follow suit in coming up with programmes and projects with the potential to uplift people out of poverty.
To anchor the devolution process, the Second Republic came up with the Devolution and Decentralisation Policy with the objective of the
Promoting “sustainable, representative, accountable, participatory, inclusive governance and socio-economic development”.
Rural development
Developed rural areas have the potential to play an important role in the achievement of goals set by the New Dispensation, hence the increased focus on those areas.
In fact, rural revitalisation has been the major strategic decision of the New Dispensation for the building of a modern society and achievement of the upper middle income economy by 2030.
To achieve this rural revitalisation, there has been focus on building rural areas with thriving businesses, pleasant living environments and prosperity.
More capital, technology and talents are being refocused to the rural areas, and this will ultimately arouse rural farmers’ motivation for work and create a modern agricultural industrial system.
There has been notable improvement in the protection of rural resources and the improvement of infrastructure such as water, electricity, health, roads and irrigation.
There are a lot of prospects in the rural areas backed by the available resources such as minerals, agricultural land, tourism, water bodies and labour.
President Mnangagwa has since made it clear that the Second Republic will accelerate rural modernisation and industrialisation to create jobs, improve livelihoods and transform lives of the once marginalised rural communities.
Water bodies are being constructed, roads being rehabilitated and industries being set up in rural areas, all aimed at improving the standards of living.
Food security
This is another development strategy implemented by the New Dispensation on realisation that without adequate food, all efforts in developing the country will be in vein.
This explains why there have been huge changes in the agricultural sector, especially with the introduction of the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme.
This programme has ensured food security at both household and national level for the first time in years.
The agricultural sector, which is responsible for feeding the nation and providing livelihoods to 67 percent of the country’s population in rural areas, is also vital for recovery and growth of the economy.
Infrastructure
There is a common saying in development parlance which goes: “if you want to get rich, build a road first”.
This is one of the main areas where the New Dispensation has been living up to its billing.
The development of infrastructure in all sectors has been accelerated in the last few years, with the country’s roads taking a new shape throughout the country.
The Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme launched by President Mnangagwa has been effective in the maintenance of roads and ensuring that the old ones are totally replaced.
The anchor project in this area has been the Harare-Beitbridge Highway, which is now more than half way complete, with a new tar being constructed in place of the old one.
Other areas of focus in infrastructure development have been on electricity generation, air transport, railways and health institutions.
To ensure more focus on infrastructure development, the New Dispensation came up with the 2021 Zimbabwe Infrastructure Investment Programme in which it undertook to provide the right framework for building critical public infrastructure services citizens require to enable their participation in the country’s socio-economic development.
Engagement /Re-engagement
The New Dispensation’s decision to engage and re-engage other nations has seen the country returning to the international fold by normalising relations with some countries.
Engagement is about re-emphasising existing relations with other countries, while re-enagaement focus of restoring relations with countries that had cut links with Zimbabwe.
The Second Republic ushered in a strategic opportunity to improve the country’s image and international relations, allowing Zimbabwe to claim her rightful place among the community of nations.
Improved relations with the international community will be leveraged in respect of the country’s quest to attract investment, promote economic growth and national wealth creation within the context of global economy.
Online Reporter