IN less than five years, the Zanu PF Government has lifted millions out of poverty into prosperity, ended fuel shortages, achieved food security and improved the country’s power supply situation.
Even against all odds including Western imposed economic sanctions — the country has defied expectations — registering economic growth that is buoyed by the resurgent mining and agriculture sectors.
In the mining sector, revenues have since grown from about US$3,7 billion in 2018 to over US$12 billion last year, and the agriculture sector is now a US$8.2 billion economy.
Launching the Zanu PF campaign for the August 23 harmonised elections on Saturday, President Mnangagwa told the once forgotten people of Chipinge at Mutema Secondary School, that his Government has taken them on board towards Vision 2030 to become an upper middle class economy and on that journey the revolutionary party is unstoppable.
That vision is crystallising into reality with rural areas, oft out of sight and mind in the past, being industrialised and assured of food security.
Under the Second Republic, the rural folk receive free agricultural inputs, poultry and have had solar powered boreholes drilled in each of the country’s 35 000 villages.
First Secretary and President of ZANU PF Cde Mnangagwa and his deputies Cdes Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi follow proceedings at the launch of the ZANU PF 2023 Elections Campaign at Mutema High School in Chipinge on Saturday. – Pictures: Believe Nyakudjara
The country’s education system has also been reconfigured to respond to the demands of Zimbabweans with the ultimate goal being to ensure the country is self-sufficient and self-reliant.
Roads are being constructed in every part of the country, as are dams to climate-proof agriculture, in development that leaves no one and no place behind.
These deliverables have come with President Mnangagwa, who in 2018 took stock of what the country needs and began the process of polishing the country back to its former jewel of Africa status.
“We once had fuel problems at the inception of the Second Republic and now it is abundantly available. We had power shortages and we went to China and got a loan for electricity and now we have 600MW coming from Hwange, for three weeks now we have had no load shedding,” said the President.
When the Second Republic came to power, President Mnangagwa undertook to offset the power supply deficit with the Hwange Units 7 and 8 now on stream and adding 600 megawatts to the national grid.
Long-term solutions to the energy situation in the country include but are not limited to the Batoka Gorge hydropower station which is a 2.4GW run-of-the river hydroelectric project on the Zambezi River, with that output shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia.
President Mnangagwa told the bumper crowd: “Roads are being built but by local companies (Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo). We have bought 80 rigs that are drilling boreholes to ensure that each chief’s household has a solar powered borehole. We have a programme that is in its second year and we said every village should have a solar-powered borehole and have nutrition gardens.”
In every district dams are being constructed to provide water for both domestic consumption and irrigation and fisheries.
The President added that every Zimbabwean should put shoulder to the wheel in the country’s development, as no country can be developed by foreigners.
To hasten that development, the country’s tertiary institutions now have industrial parks and innovation hubs that are at the forefront of making inventions and patents that respond to the country’s needs.
Under President Mnangagwa, Government has put modernisation and industrialisation at the forefront of its policies, tapping into a revamped Education 5.0 model which places emphasis on solution-based education and also nurturing universities to be hubs of innovations and research through the learning of science and technology focused subjects.
Responding to the needs of the people of Chipinge, the President promised to ensure the community gets food to take them through the lean season as the area is prone to droughts.
Apart from that, a clinic at Checheche Growth Point, St Peters, also received an ambulance and state-of-the-art equipment.
The rally was attended by thousands of people who expressed satisfaction at the progress made thus far under President Mnangagwa and declared their support for the ruling party First Secretary, who was accompanied by his two deputies, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and Vice President Kembo Mohadi.
Also in attendance was the party’s National Chairman, Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Zanu PF Politburo members, Cabinet ministers and senior Government officials.
President Mnangagwa is welcomed by Zanu-PF Women’s League Secretary for Administration Senator Monica Mutsvangwa and other senior members of the women’s league on arrival at Mutema High School in Chipinge on Saturday
For the people of Chipinge, it was a day to remember for ages to come and in their numbers they expressed their appreciation for the works being done by President Mnangagwa.
“This has never happened in Chipinge, the President has remembered us and we feel greatly honoured,” said Ms Moreblessing Madlenyoka Sigauke.
Another woman Mrs Lindiwe Tayanikwa said she never thought the President would have time for Chipinge as his visit was a first.
“We now have nutrition gardens, boreholes have been drilled and we are seeing roads being paved, this is just commendable and we will surely vote for the President on August 23 to defend the country from sell outs,” said Mrs Tayanikwa.
“Ichi chishamiso zvomene, hazvisati zvamboitika since 1980, tamuruka, tinongokurudzira kuti President, MP nacouncillor vapinde vose, hatifunge kuti pangava nechipomerwa,” said Mr Dakarai Mtetwa, from Musikavanhu.
Mr Christopher Harare from Ward 3 said he was happy to have the President in his home area. “This shows that we are in good hands as a country and that our country will continue to be developed by Zanu PF under President Mnangagwa.”
Herald
