Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Dr Obert Moses Mpofu
ZANU-PF is driven by a welfarist philosophy. Through Zanu-PF’s efforts, we have turned Zimbabwe into a welfarist State, as we have channelled towards the welfare of our people.
A welfare State is loosely described as a State that is dedicated to giving its people economic security by shielding them from market risks related to ageing, unemployment, accidents, and illness. This sums up the Zanu-PF Government’s approach. All our efforts since independence have been aimed at protecting as well as promoting the economic and social well-being of our people.
We have done this by ensuring that there are equal opportunities for our people. There is no denying that Zimbabweans are among the most empowered people on the continent and across the world.
There is not a single Zimbabwean in this country who does not have access to productive land in one way or the other. This has been central to ensuring that our people have the means of production in their hands.
Our people thus carry their fate in their own hands. We are indeed a unique people. The Zanu-PF Party understood earlier that the most important thing is the welfare of the people.
This cannot be traded for anything else. All our people from across the country should take advantage of the Zanu-PF Government’s deliberate efforts aimed at ensuring that their lives are uplifted.
As we begin this year, the efforts, programmes and projects aimed at improving our people will be accelerated. We are building on the work from the previous year and this year will be even better as we unleash more initiatives aimed at benefiting the people.
We have already set the foundation and what is required of us now is to keep the momentum going. Under the guidance of President Mnangagwa, we are set to break more barriers. More and more work will be done for our people and they will continue reaping immense benefits from our efforts. After all, we exist to serve our people, and they should be the biggest beneficiaries of all our efforts.
Our people from across all walks of life are set to benefit from such efforts and will have their lives transformed further for the better. A nation is its people. This is the thinking that drives the Zanu-PF philosophy.
Our people should and will always come first. Everything else is secondary. When a nation’s people are well equipped to tackle everyday challenges, then such a nation will prosper.
There are those who hoped that we would fail to improve our people’s welfare so that the black majority Government would collapse. This has not happened and will never happen. What we have done is actually the opposite.
Our people have now prospered beyond measure. We have been able to transfer real wealth from the land into our people’s hands. Zimbabweans are enjoying unparalleled success in all sectors of the economy, most notably in the mining and agricultural sectors where we have seen a rise and resurgence of gifted young and passionate Zimbabweans taking up space in economic sectors previously reserved for the whites.
Zimbabweans are taking up so much space creating wealth and opportunities for themselves at an exponential rate. This is all because we empowered our people through education using earlier policies such as the education for all among others.
This was after the realisation that the real wealth is in educating our people and giving them a competitive edge. Zimbabweans have also not disappointed as they have been more than willing to take up the opportunities given to them and make the most out of them.
They have managed to exceed all expectations. Most if not all are part of our efforts towards the betterment of our people’s lives. We are inclined towards improving the welfare of our people more than anything. In fact, this is one single item that comes at the top of our agenda all the time.
One of the key ways in which the Zanu-PF Party and its Government have sought to meet its obligation to the people and improve their welfare is through agricultural support initiatives such as the Presidential Input Support Scheme, Intwasa/Pfumvudza, and of course the recently launched new land tenure programme. There are other projects, too many to mention by name such as the massive infrastructure developments, which have culminated in the infrastructure development revolution that President Mnangagwa has been spearheading. Such initiatives are being carried out for the simple purpose of improving the lives of our people. All of this is designed to improve the people’s welfare in one way or the other.
We have created a system where everyone is a winner. Even those who previously felt that they were marginalised now feel included and part of the collective in the new dispensation. Zimbabwe will not leave anyone or any place behind. Our people from all walks of life have over the years been beneficiaries of the Party and its leadership’s benevolence and will continue doing so.
As we continue to serve our people, let us never forget that, it is their welfare that is of the utmost importance and we should take all necessary efforts to ensure that the needs and aspirations of our people are met.
ν Obert Mpofu is an academic and the Secretary-General of Zanu-PF. He writes in his own capacity.
Online Reporter