Zimbabwe’s local solutions initiatives, under President Mnangagwa’s leadership, have been widely praised as a masterstroke for the Second Republic, showcasing the Government’s commitment towards empowering local communities and improving the quality of life for citizens. This comes as the President drives the popularization of the village philosophy, Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo, resulting in significant achievements in economic, social, technological, and environmental fields.
Zimbabwe’s higher learning institutions have aligned themselves with the national development agenda. Local universities and colleges have successfully registered 140 patents, with the University of Zimbabwe leading with 100 patents. The commissioning of Mutare Teachers College’s fruit juice and water processing plant, built by local personnel without external contractors, is a testament that local higher learning institutions have heeded the President’s call to embrace local talent and embed local solutions in the journey to innovation and development.
President Mnangagwa is scheduled to commission the fruit juice and water processing plant at Mutare Teachers College today, July 4, 2024. The processing plant, constructed by local personnel as part of the Education 5.0 project, is intended to process marula fruit. The plant’s processing capacity was recently increased from 200kg to one tonne after President Mnangagwa encouraged Zimbabweans to develop their own solutions.
The Government has been actively involved in the process of skills development, with President Mnangagwa establishing a fully-fledged ministry to oversee skills audits and development. The expansion of the agricultural sector, creating job opportunities through the supply chain and agro-processing industries, has been a key focus. The promotion of linkages between industry and tertiary institutions to modernize industrial processes has led tertiary institutions to produce job creators rather than job seekers, producing graduates who are ready for production.
Improving business confidence and attracting investors in agriculture, mining, hospitality, tourism, infrastructure development, energy generation, and transportation has complemented local expertise. The Government seeks to enhance the country’s transportation infrastructure through the upgrading of the Victoria Falls International Airport, the expansion of the RGM International Airport, and the rehabilitation and upgrading of urban roads and the dualization of the Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu highway, using local funding. This is part of the Government’s broader development agenda.
The Government has also made deliberate efforts to increase investment in healthcare. This includes the procurement and rollout of vaccines, the construction of clinics across the country, and the refurbishment of major referral hospitals, mainly using devolution, a policy that is home-grown and is now bearing fruit.
On the social side, the Government has facilitated the implementation of the National Peace and Reconciliation policy to address historical issues and promote national cohesion. Believing in home-grown solutions to local problems, the Government is committed to utilizing available resources, including human resources, to enhance national interests.
The implementation of Heritage-Based Education 5.0, promoting home-grown solutions and import substitution, forms the basis of locally grown solutions. Heritage-Based Education succeeded the Continuous Assessment Learning Activities (CALA), which was widely condemned by stakeholders as too elitist and not user-friendly. The new curriculum seeks to mold a learner who embraces local solutions for development purposes, testifying to President Mnangagwa’s philosophy, Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo.
