Source: Ex-minister says unity better than FDI – NewsDay Zimbabwe May 12, 2017
UNITY among Zimbabweans is the most fundamental element that can be used to revive the country’s fragile economy ranking higher than foreign direct investment (FDI), former Industry minister Nkosana Moyo has said.
BY MTHANDAZO NYONI
Speaking at the United States Embassy’s weekly public discussion series, Food For Thought, in Bulawayo on Wednesday, Moyo said unity among Zimbabweans was critical for economic development.
“If I were running this country, what is it that I will pay attention to? What is the most important asset of a country? Actually the answer may surprise you; it’s not minerals [or] natural resources. It’s human capital,” Moyo who resigned from the Zanu PF government in 2001 due to policy inconsistencies, said.
“But what is human capital, how does it manifest itself? When do you get the best leverage, the best return from your human capital? Does it imply education or training necessarily? The foundation actually does not imply any of these things. For me the foundational element of human capital is unity of a nation. When a nation is united, pretty well anything is possible.”
Moyo said if a nation was not united anything was impossible because they do not energise each other.
“So for me, if I were addressing how to revive the economy of this country, my starting point would be somewhere you wouldn’t expect. It will be how do I build a Zimbabwean nation that is united, that pulls in the same direction, that is prepared to sacrifice for itself,” he said.
“I wouldn’t start with FDI. I will start with how I get a Zimbabwe that is a united country where every Zimbabwean says ‘I’m proud to be Zimbabwean’. Once I have achieved that given the very practical history of our nation, I will also address immediately or in parallel with that how do I create an exercise of national healing in my country.”
He said there were a lot of scars that the nation carries and national healing was needed.
“Those two things require to be addressed as forming the foundation, creating the biggest asset that our country has, the people. People that will then sacrifice and say, ‘I understand why I’m sacrificing because I feel that I am accepted in my nation, in my society, I am valued so I will work hard to make things work for everybody’.
Moyo said next he would address the issue of numerous police roadblocks on the country’s highways, adding that the army and police should be there to serve the people and not the other way round.
“And with those as foundational issues dealing with people issues, the biggest the country has got, I will then address the economy because I would have created an environment and foundation where each Zimbabwean becomes an active participant in creating an economy. Not a burden in the economy but active participant in creating an economy,” Moyo said.
COMMENTS
Harrasing of motorists at numerous is counter productive. I am working in Namibia. In March I drove my 2.5 ton truck loaded with farming equipments. I drove from karas region of Namibia through RSA, and Botswana. Up to Ramakgwebana. The roads were nice in these 3 countries I drove though ie Namibia, RSA and Botswana. I did not see any road block neither did I experience police harrasment . My sufferring started at Plumtree boader post. It about 500km from plumtree to Marondera I was tormented by corrupt policemen more than 20 times.. I had foreign currency in rands but banks refuse to exchange with bond notes saying they can only change money send from outside Zimbabwe. On my way back to Namibia the car front suspension was damaged by pot holes and the VID charged me heavily at the exit point.at Plumtree. Now how do we expect to improve our economy when we we make it difficult for our nationals working in neibouring countries to travel home with their vehicles and their goods. Are we not bringing wealth home.