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Victoria Ruzvidzo
Editor’s Brief
The World Bank and the African Development Bank last year came up with a project called Mission 300, under which they intend to ensure 300 million Africans have access to electricity by 2030.
Statistics show that presently 600 million people on the continent do not have access to power.
Under this programme, infrastructure development, policy consolidation and other such facets will be implemented to ensure the goal is achieved.
A meeting on this is scheduled f0r Tanzania early next month.
This really got me thinking that as Zimbabwe we need our own Mission 17. Not just about electricity, but about everything Zimbabwe.
Mission 17 will be about the entire population of Zimbabwe. Statistics show that our population has reached 16,6 million as of last year, which is a round-off to 17 million.
Zimbabwe is a beautiful country with beautiful stories to tell across the spectrum, be it in tourism, the arts, agriculture or deep down in mining. So lets go out there and tell the world these beautiful stories.
So, Mission 17 Million is about every Zimbabwean contributing towards building the country.
Mission 17 is about every Zimbabwean becoming an ambassador of this country wherever they are. It is about every Zimbabwean speaking positively about Zimbabwe – choosing to deliberately see the country through positive lenses.
It is about every Zimbabwean taking it upon themselves to do the best that they can to make Zimbabwe a better country.
Mission 17 is about the 17 million of us putting our heads together to build Zimbabwe.
All economic activities must be directed towards growing our Gross Domestic Product – the sum total of our economic activities.
It is about the 17 million Zimbabweans all gathering together to make Vision 2030 not just a possibility, but a reality in five years time to make sure Zimbabwe attains an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 as espoused by President Mnangagwa.
It is about “Nyika Inovakwa Nevene vayo”. So all 17 million of us are “Vene” and we should make sure we build the country as is expected of us.
Yes, the President’s mantra sounds very good and exciting we all enjoy saying it out loudly but this particular mantra needs to be put into action by the entire 17 million of us.
Let us build our country and propel it, towards our desired destination.
Vision 2030 is not just a Government or Presidential pronouncement, but It is our future as a collective. It is our future as Zimbabweans.
So let us work towards achieving its goals. Let us build on the foundation that has already been laid down.
Government, business, labour, the academia and all stakeholders must rise to the occasion and do their utmost as we hurtle towards 2030.
We know, particularly on social media, there are so many critics who are ready to criticise anything and everything done by Government but we are saying for this year, 2025, let us change course. Let us all begin to speak positively about our country .
Where we must criticise let us do so with constructive intent. Healthy criticism is one that proffers a better strategy or a better solution without criticising for the sake of it.
Getting more likes or hits for denigrating one’s country should not be celebrated but chided.
We need not appease any force through talking down our own country. In 2025 we must choose to be different.
This country, I will say this no end, has immense potential and this can be realised if we choose to work together as a unit.
Only yesterday, I was speaking to my nephew Tanatswa, who has just finished his Advanced Level
That at his age he sees business opportunities in this country, means a lot. Our tomorrow is in safe hands.
We spoke about the construction going on both residential and commercial. We spoke about agriculture, we spoke about the big cars that are on our roads, all as a sign that the economy is on the right track.
It is most unfortunate that the CCC MPs who joined forces with ZANU-PF to visit the First Family’s Pricabe Farm in Kwekwe have come under a barrage of criticism for this noble initiative.
Sengezo Tshabangu, the CCC interim secretary-general, has been under attack for saying that he is for development, he is for progress and he is supporting efforts by the President and by the Government as a whole to bring growth and development.
In my book opposition should not just be about opposing for the sake of it.
Opposition is not just about seeing the bad in the ruling party or Government.
Opposition is not about disagreeing all the time.
Opposition is about being constructive even in your criticism.
Opposition is about having national interests at heart.
Opposition is about achieving progress and supporting initiatives that benefit this nation.
Evidently, opposition in this country and a few other African countries has failed because they think all their energy must be expended in fighting the Government.
That is not what opposition is entirely about.
We have one country, and our overall and common objective is to see that country prosper.
It is to see that country flourish.
So, the unity that was demonstrated last weekend by both ZANU PF and CCC MPs is exactly what the doctor ordered.
It is very critical in terms of achieving progress.
Zimbabwe is now rounding off the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and will soon undertake National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
This requires cohesion, collaboration and singing from the same hymn book.
This demands unity of purpose and the realisation that we have a common goal: to better our lives.
We will leave no one and no place behind in Mission 17 Million.
“Nyika inovakwa neVene Vayo”.
In God I Trust.
X handle: @VictoriaRuzvid2; Email: [email protected]; [email protected]; WhatsApp number: 0772 129 972.
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