By Aldridge Dzvene
In a bold and refreshing departure from the usual rhetoric-heavy approach to empowerment, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, has taken a direct, practical step to uplift one of the most burdened yet essential groups in the country, community health workers.
The launch of the Presidential Empowerment Fund for Health Ambassadors for ED on July 25 at ZANU PF Headquarters was more than a symbolic gesture. It was a demonstration of leadership that doesn’t just speak, but acts. Delivered by Dr. Paul Tungwarara, the President’s Investment Advisor, the message carried weight and clarity. He made it known that he was not the architect of the fund, but rather a messenger of the President himself. And the message was simple: “His Excellency sees you. He believes in you. He has invested in you.” The Health Ambassadors for ED, often overlooked, under-resourced, and underpaid, were acknowledged not just with words, but with action. An initial injection of US$200,000 was announced, aimed squarely at giving these frontline health workers the tools they need to serve their communities better.
But this wasn’t just a cheque being handed over. It came with the full force of presidential expectation: transparency, accountability, and results. This money isn’t to be chewed by middlemen, it isn’t meant to sit in administrative pipelines, and it certainly isn’t for personal consumption. As Dr. Tungwarara made clear, “This Fund is sacred.” That line hit home because for too long, empowerment efforts in Zimbabwe have been derailed by bureaucracy, corruption, or vague intentions. This time, the instruction was precise, buy equipment, fund training, strengthen outreach, and educate communities. Nothing more. Nothing less. And everything tied to the health and wellbeing of ordinary citizens. What made this moment stand out wasn’t just the money, but the tone. The President, through his advisor, spoke directly to the people doing the work. He didn’t talk around them. He didn’t wrap the message in policy jargon. He acknowledged their pain, their effort, and their loyalty. And then he backed it with tangible support.
This is the kind of leadership that resonates at grassroots level. It’s a model that deserves replication across other sectors, direct, no-nonsense empowerment that reaches the people, bypasses the red tape, and produces real results. If accountability is upheld, this could be the beginning of a new era where empowerment stops being a campaign slogan and starts being a way of doing government. As Zimbabwe pushes toward Vision 2030, this approach sends a clear signal that the President is not only watching, but actively investing in the silent, committed foot soldiers building the nation from the ground up. For once, health workers walked away not with empty praise, but with tools to heal, resources to serve, and the President’s trust in their hands.
