Welcoming new year with hope, expectation

The advent of a new year always brings hope, expectation and new resolutions.

Our correspondents, WALLACE RUZVIDZO and TANYARADZWA RUSIKE, talked to some Zimbabweans to find out their plans for the new year.

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Commissioner Jasper Mangwana (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission spokesperson)

I will be spending the New Year holidays with family in my rural area.

I am looking forward to a very busy 2023, as we look forward to the harmonised elections, which we will superintend.

Mrs Respect Gono (chief immigration officer)

As the Department of Immigration, we have a number of programmes that we have lined up for 2023.

All the projects are aimed at enhancing service delivery and improving the country’s image as espoused by the National Development Strategy 1.

The key programmes and projects include rolling out a robust integrated online border management system; branding and rebranding our ports of entry and exit, as well as inland offices; construction and refurbishment of our workstations; and installation of solar power at some border posts.

The department will continue to participate in all multilateral programmes such as those organised by the Southern African Development Community, the African Union and the United Nations.

We hold the view that the future of our country is bright, and going into 2023, the Department of Immigration is poised for better prospects, as we execute our mandate.

I wish Zimbabwe a prosperous 2023.

Mr Tendai Mugabe (Zimbabwe National Road Administration [ZINARA] spokesperson)

As ZINARA, we operate a 24-hour operation and, as such, on New Year’s Day (today), I will be at work.

We have an exciting initiative that we are running together with various corporates. It is called the Happy Hour Promotion, and it seeks to ensure that motorists are not delayed at toll-gates.

So, on New Year’s Day, I will be coordinating the Happy Hour Promotion at various toll-gates around Harare.

My major expectation in 2023 is to see the success of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme 2 and a significant increase in the vehicle licensing compliance rate.

A high compliance rate is crucial and imperative to us as we always strive to continue making meaningful disbursements to road authorities.

Dr Mandas Marikanda (Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank CEO)

The establishment of the Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank was a clear message by Government on the importance of women in building the economy.

It is a clear step towards Vision 2030, which seeks to leave no one behind.

Women constitute about 52 percent of the country’s population and require support to start income-generating projects, establish micro enterprises and grow them to SMES (small and medium enterprises) with the support of the women’s bank.

It is hoped that in 2023 the bank will get support to meet the regulatory capital requirement of US$5 million and serve women in all the 10 provinces who have opened accounts with the bank.

Mr Ronny Levi Musan (consul-general of Zimbabwe in Israel)

Jerusalem inoti kwamuri ivai negoredzva rakanaka (Jerusalem wishes you a prosperous new year).

My fellow Zimbabweans, wherever you are, may the Lord bless you from Zion. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your lives.

Ms Linda Masarira (Labour Economists and African Democrats [LEAD] president)

On New Year’s Day, I usually reflect on my new year goals and the year ahead.

I will be on a lone retreat somewhere in Matabeleland South, mapping my 2023 journey and fine-tuning my presidential election campaign manifesto for the elections.

I am looking forward to an end of currency volatility in our country, a situation that has caused so much uncertainty and suffering for most ordinary Zimbabweans.

I am also looking forward to all political party leaders taking off their political jackets and pledging to unite for a common cause of developing Zimbabwe.

Mrs Vimbai Nyemba (Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe board chairperson)

We are done with 2022 and this is the time to take stock of our journey so as to be able to figure out our expectations for 2023.

The year 2022 was not easy, but we have the power to imagine better.

We do not need magic to change the world; we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already, so, I look forward to a better 2023.

The past years witnessed global challenges such as floods, which are a result of climate change.

A lot of lives were lost due to floods and there was destruction of infrastructure.

We had Covid-19, which ended the lives of our beloved ones.

Despite all the challenges, we soldiered on and we saw a lot of progress in infrastructural development in our country, among other developments.

I am grateful for yet another year and look forward to many more achievements.

With the elections coming, there will be so much anxiety, but I pray that we have a peaceful pre- and post-election.

Mr Joseph Thompson (Rural Enterprise Development Trust chairperson)

The year 2023 is going to be a watershed year, a year of results, election results, economic and financial results.