Online Reporter
Richard Muponde
Zimpapers Politics Hub
THE recent 22nd ZANU PF National People’s Conference in Mutare did not end as a mere talk-shop, it became a launchpad for immediate action under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s hands-on leadership.
The focus is on implementing key resolutions, particularly the acceleration of support programmes to create robust social safety nets for the vulnerable.
A few days after the conference, the ruling party commenced rolling out tangible programmes to implement the resolution on social safety nets.
At the heart of this push lies the Presidential Poultry Scheme, launched at Harare’s Tafara Grounds, where the ZANU PF Women’s League handed over 10 000 chicks to colleagues.
This event was not merely symbolic; it demonstrated the maturity of ZANU PF under the Second Republic into a results-oriented Government.
It reaffirmed the commitment to ensuring that no one and no place is left behind as the nation marches toward Vision 2030.
President Mnangagwa has consistently emphasised that Zimbabwe’s development must be inclusive and citizen centred. At the launch of similar empowerment programmes earlier this year, the President declared.
“Our philosophy is that no one and no place should be left behind. Every Zimbabwean must play a part in shaping our shared prosperity. The Second Republic is about action, not rhetoric.”
These remarks mirror his administration’s approach to governance, which is pragmatic, developmental, and focused on lifting the vulnerable out of poverty through empowerment rather than dependency.
The Presidential Poultry Scheme epitomises this philosophy. Designed to provide women with chicks, feed, and technical support, the project not only boosts household income but also helps to build small-scale agribusinesses at the grassroots.
By targeting women, orphans, the elderly, and people living with disabilities, the programme operationalises the 22nd National People’s Conference resolution on creating safety nets.
The distribution of chicks in Tafara suburb marks the start of a broader nationwide roll-out that will reach all provinces, reaffirming ZANU PF’s pro-poor and inclusive development strategy.
ZANU PF Secretary for Women’s Affairs, Cde Mabel Chinomona, highlighted this alignment when she addressed the beneficiaries, stating, “Gone are the days when empowerment funds only benefited the elite and urban dwellers.
“We aim to reach every corner of the country. The chicks we are distributing today should multiply and transform your lives. Every woman must be economically active.”
Her words capture the paradigm shift in Zimbabwe’s empowerment model, moving from top-down, elitist funding to bottom-up, community-based transformation. Cde Chinomona’s insistence on the fact that “women are the cornerstone of every household” underlines empowerment as central to both family and national economic stability.
Since the advent of the Second Republic in 2017, President Mnangagwa has launched an impressive range of empowerment programmes aimed at cushioning citizens from economic shocks and sanctions-induced challenges.
These include the Presidential Heifer Pass-On Scheme, the Presidential Fisheries Programme, the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme, the Presidential Inputs Scheme, and the Presidential Rural Industrialisation Programme.
Each initiative targets a specific community need — be it food security, access to water, income generation, or employment creation.
Collectively, they represent a robust safety-net architecture that is transforming the livelihoods of millions of rural and urban Zimbabweans.
In the context of global development practice, the creation of social safety nets is a hallmark of progressive governance.
While many countries have established similar mechanisms—such as Brazil’s Bolsa Família, India’s MGNREGA, or South Africa’s Social Grants — President Mnangagwa’s empowerment-based safety nets are unique.
They deliberately blend welfare with production, offering citizens the means to generate sustainable livelihoods rather than depend indefinitely on handouts.
As President Mnangagwa remarked recently during a community development engagement. “Our empowerment projects are not acts of charity; they are investments in the productive capacity of our people. The goal is to ensure that every household becomes a centre of production, creativity and prosperity.”
This pragmatic vision aligns perfectly with the global trend toward inclusive capitalism—development that grows the economy while simultaneously reducing inequality.
The Women’s League’s role in operationalising these programmes cannot be overstated. Cde Chinomona’s leadership has helped ensure that women’s empowerment remains a strategic pillar of both the party and Government agendas.
She further emphasised during the Tafara event: “We serve the purpose of fostering economic development. We must embrace and train young women to take on leadership roles in the future.”
Her call for inter-generational mentorship underscores the sustainability dimension of the programme, ensuring that today’s beneficiaries become tomorrow’s leaders and entrepreneurs.
Similarly, Cde Tatenda Mavetera, the national chairperson of Young Women for Economic Development and Minister of Information Communication Technology (ICT), Postal and Courier Services, lauded the Second Republic’s inclusivity in her address at the same function.
“We appreciate President Mnangagwa for creating avenues for young women to assume senior leadership roles. Many young women have been groomed by the Women’s League and are now serving as Members of Parliament and Ministers,” Minister Mavetera said.
Her statement reflects how empowerment under the Second Republic transcends economic support; it extends to political participation and leadership development.
Empowering women economically and politically cements their role as key players in national development and decision-making.
The Tafara event also demonstrated ZANU PF’s capacity to translate conference resolutions into immediate, concrete outcomes. In many political settings, resolutions often remain on paper long after conferences end.
In contrast, ZANU PF’s swift implementation reflects organisational discipline and the practical orientation of President Mnangagwa’s leadership.
This reinforces the perception of the ruling party as a developmental engine that delivers results rather than promises.
The significance of such safety-net programmes extends beyond economics. They foster social cohesion, restore dignity, and cultivate self-reliance among citizens.
By cushioning vulnerable groups from poverty and marginalisation, these initiatives build a stable and productive society, a crucial condition for achieving Vision 2030.
When people are economically empowered, they become stakeholders in national development, reducing dependency on Government assistance and strengthening the social fabric.
Furthermore, these initiatives demonstrate a deeper ideological continuity between Zimbabwe’s liberation values and the current developmental agenda.
The struggle for independence was rooted in the quest for land, dignity, and empowerment of the indigenous majority.
Today, through the Second Republic’s empowerment programmes, those aspirations are being realised in practical, community-based forms.
The Presidential Poultry Scheme thus stands as both a symbol and instrument of economic sovereignty, enabling citizens to own and drive their own development.
As Zimbabwe continues on its recovery path amid the lingering effects of sanctions, such empowerment-driven safety nets will remain vital.
They not only mitigate economic hardships, but also build resilience and innovation at the grassroots level.
President Mnangagwa’s approach, combining inclusivity, productivity, and patriotism, has set Zimbabwe on a firm trajectory toward an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
President Mnangagwa and ZANU PF deserve commendation for transforming political resolutions into people-centred action.
The implementation of the safety-net resolution through the Presidential Poultry Programme is a clear demonstration that the Second Republic is grounded in delivery. By empowering women, youth, and vulnerable groups, the Government has reduced poverty and restored hope.
As the nation moves toward Vision 2030, Zimbabwe stands as a testimony to how visionary leadership and inclusive policies can rebuild livelihoods and reshape destiny.
