Zanu (PF) ready to fulfil election promises: Gumbo

via Zanu (PF) ready to fulfil election promises: Gumbo | The Zimbabwean by Nelson Sibanda 13.11.13

The Zanu (PF) central committee has resolved to fulfil its election campaign promises and turn around the country’s fortunes.

Party spokesperson Rugare Gumbo told The Zimbabwean that the committee sat on Friday and resolved to fulfil the promises in its election manifesto, which include improving the welfare of government workers, creating over two million jobs in the next five years and reviving the economy.

Gumbo said his party was ready to implement the pledges without further delays.

“We have no time to waste,” said Gumbo, citing the party’s resolution to pay government workers above poverty datum line salaries as evidence that his party would be sincere to its promises.

Last week Zanu (PF) resolved to pay government workers no less than $540 per month, an increase from an average $260. It is not clear where this money will come from or whether any workers have received the increase yet.

Gumbo said President Robert Mugabe had warned party decision makers that failure to fulfil promises “would raise dust among the people”, but could not point to any specific area in which promises had been fulfilled during the government’s first 90 days.

Respected economist, John Robertson, pointed out that Zanu (PF) had no capacity to turn around the fortunes of Zimbabwe because it was in a fiscal and economic straitjacket. The party cannot move, given the restrictions created by the failing economy, he said, and would battle even to pay existing workers’ salaries.

“The government might not have the economic steam to pull through 2014,” Robertson added.

Respected business person and commentator, Eddie Cross, said there was no way government would achieve its dreams while committed to the party election manifesto, especially on the indigenisation aspect.

“The Zanu (PF) indigenisation policy, which scared away investors, should be modified radically if the party expects to reap profits out of it,” said Cross.

The government hopes to revive the economy through its economic vehicle, Zim Asset, which seeks to address challenges affecting service delivery and economic growth. It expects the economy to grow by 3.4 percent this year, 6.2 percent in 2014 and 9.9 percent by 2018.

The Ministry of Finance recently postponed announcement of the national budget, a development described by observers as an indication that all was not well with government coffers.