via Zimbabwe’s pride | The Herald April 20, 2015 by Muchadura Dube
THE nation of Zimbabwe celebrates 35 years of independence with a broad smile with numerous milestones having been achieved to date. The satisfaction of independence which had primarily political dimensions has been ornamented with economic liberty, the phenomenon of political and economic freedom giving rise to a solid and truly liberated African country.
Zimbabwe having been blessed with the visionary leadership of President Mugabe is in a class of its own as it has managed to regain and repossess the once stolen and looted land and natural resources by erstwhile colonisers led by the racist British establishment who continue to throw spanners in the country’s quest for expanding the horizon of its citizenry empowerment.
It is a pity that the British still have that big ego and exploitative nostalgia which haunts them to this day and from the analysis generated; this shocking reality on their part seems to be ingrained in their thought processes. With sanctions having been countered by strong pragmatic response of the Government which encompassed the authoring and application of the economic panacea in the form of the economic blueprint, the Zim-Asset whose thrust is the judicious exploitation of locally available resources with the expectation of financial windfalls that emanate from such a venture benefiting the local populace.
The unity of purpose of Zimbabweans has been the reason behind the current signs of a robust economic revival which the Zimbabwean economy is undergoing.
It might sound incredible for anyone to believe the narrative which this writer is proffering that the economy is on the rebound.
Of course it is, depending on the yardstick the economic observer is using.
The template which one is using is likely to produce the likely outcome of their preferred analysis.
The problem has been the daily dosage of falsehoods on the state of the economy from some local dailies that thrive on controversy and outright lies as a way of satisfying their imperialistic funders.
These daily anti-Mugabe mouthpieces have a poor reading of the economy, am not sure if they have a basic understanding of the terrain of economics currently obtaining in Zimbabwe.
Probably they were caught off guard by Cde Patrick Chinamasa, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development’s accurate observation that there is a new economy which has eclipsed and ultimately replaced the old economy.
The old economy was a preserve of the former settler farmer represented by the then large-scale commercial farmer who is still grieving after the restoration of the land to its rightful owners, the black majority.
The new economy has the new resettled farmer at its core, the more than 350 000 households who are proud beneficiaries of their land playing a pivotal role. The various empowerment schemes will certainly add value to the new economy. Any explanation that places the new economy to the periphery can only be an analysis of the nation’s detractors which seeks as usual to implant the usual message of despondency. The new economy which is dominated by the black majority represents the present and the future.
President Mugabe on his recent state visit to South Africa told excited journalists that the minerals which Zimbabwe has are more important than the capital, explaining that capital only plays an important role to complement the available abundant resources.
The essence of his assertion was that with the majority having the lion’s share of the economy, stability and peace which are a critical part of Zimbabwe’s body politic will be perpetually enjoyed.
The new economy also incorporates the bustling informal sector which is a key feature of the enterprising locals who are their own employers, creating a generation of wealth originators who have the potential to take the economy to another level.
Zimbabwe will be celebrating its independence on the backdrop of massive upgrade in the infrastructure, health sector and education sector.
These are economic enablers, which anchor the economy with utilities and skills for the execution of the jobs. Currently, Zimbabwe is the most literate nation in Africa and is poised to remain afloat at that apex position given the heavy financial and human resources injection into that sector.
Zimbabwe’s health sector has churned out graduates and experienced personnel who have helped the region’s health care systems to be in the current robust state.
The current revitalisation and rejuvenation of the country’s major highways will ensure that internal trade and trade in the region and beyond is undertaken without hindrances. Zimbabwe is centrally located hence the entire region blossoms economically if the country’s infrastructure is in a sound state.
With the infrastructure being subjected to major uplifts, there is an expected surge in the tourism industry, a sector which has the potential to generate millions of dollars for the economy.
There are a lot of untapped tourist sites in Zimbabwe with potential to add impetus to the ongoing economic regeneration.
If there is one aspect which Zimbabweans enjoy on an unlimited scale, it is the peace and political stability which the country has enjoyed since the advent of independence. Zimbabwe has been at the forefront of resolution of conflict in the various trouble spots in the region and Africa.
The country’s security system is renowned for its proficiency and efficiency. The security system has been consistent in its mandate of delivering peace to the nation. When there is peace, all developmental initiatives will progress without difficulties. Peace is a prerequisite for development hence it’s a necessity in the discourse of national development. Zimbabweans are fortunate, they have it, if ever it could be quantified, it could be aptly termed overflowing.
Lest some forget, the country’s independence was not availed on a silver platter.
A protracted war of liberation which saw dedicated sons and daughters of the soil lose life and limb as they gallantly fought the protracted war of liberation.
We can only wish Zimbabwe and her people happy 35th independence celebrations.
COMMENTS
clearly a graduate from the school of mugabenomics.
Indeed, probably a doctorate!
After reading an article like this ,one is not surprised by the xenophobia in South Africa as I am sure they will feel the same way about their country.
“Leaders can’t act like ordinary citizens who out of sheer desperation act so inhumanely. Leaders must provide leadership even in difficult situations.A COUPLE of weeks before President Robert Mugabe’s state visit to South Africa, which begins on Tuesday, Zimbabwe’s foreign affairs ministry delivered a letter to the private sector BEGGING it to fund a Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Harare at the end of this month.Zimbabwe spends more than 80 percent of government revenue on its public service wage bill, with a shrinking tax base. Most indigenous banks closed in the last year, and Zimbabwe’s mining sector has been hit by lowering commodity prices.He said Mugabe would continue to repeat that US “sanctions” are the main reason the economy is shrinking.PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has urged Zimbabweans who are in the diaspora to emulate Ethiopians who have changed the face of Ethiopia with their remittances back home.
According to the ZBC Mugabe said this during his meeting with the Zimbabwean community led by their patron, Ambassador Albert Chimbindi and the President of the AmaZimbabwe Association, Rodney Kiwa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Mugabe said Zimbabweans should be law abiding in their host countries and should not deny their children a chance to learn their mother tongue.
Reports last week said Zimbabweans living in Ethiopia were asked to contribute $50 each towards the hosting of Mugabe at a local hotel in Addis Ababa.With the Mugabe regime owing its diplomats at 47 missions nearly US$7million in salary arrears as at 31st December 2014, could it be smuggling diamonds via diplomatic bags to get them going?
According to the U.S. Department of State, a diplomatic bag or pouch is any properly identified and sealed package, pouch, envelope, bag or other container that is used to transport official correspondence, documents, and other articles intended for official use.
As long as it is externally marked to show its status, the bag has diplomatic immunity from search or seizure, as codified in article 27 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Reports seem to indicate that Zimbabwe’s diplomats may have been last paid in May or July 2013 when the government also struggled to fund the disputed elections and is yet to pay the ZEC’s election staff.The industrial hemorrhage we have seen, the loss of jobs, growing repression, violence and massive job losses point to nothing less than an implosion.PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe told a crowd of media and spectators on Thursday while visiting Hector Pietersen Memorial in Soweto, “I don’t want to see a white face”.Thirty five years after Independence Zimbabwe, which was a regional food exporter and known as the Breadbasket of Africa, now imports at least 80% of the food it needs to support our population of 14 million people. In clothing and hardware shops you can get anything you want but almost everything says Made in China. In the supermarkets the shelves are crammed with goods which have come mostly from South Africa. Most are three or four times more expensive than in South Africa so some fat cats are making a lot of money at the expense of ordinary people but still we’re left with the identity question: who are we?
Three and half decades after Independence 90% of people in Zimbabwe are unemployed. Everyone from university graduates to school dropouts tries to make a living selling things on the roadsides. The borders are crammed with Zimbabweans going to neighbouring countries to buy goods they can sell on our pavements. Across the country industrial areas have deserted factories and locked warehouses: grass and weeds sprout from concrete while big rusted padlocks on heavy chains tell the story without words of our massive unemployment.
It’s the same on farms where once half a million people worked. Many farms are now empty fields without crops, livestock or fences; the infrastructure’s been looted and buildings are derelict. Even our President of 35 years admitted a few weeks ago that large farms seized from white Zimbabweans and given to black Zimbabweans were not producing anything.Last year the IMF agreed to a successor Staff-Monitored Programme (SMP) — an informal agreement between country authorities and the global lender designed to monitor the implementation of the authorities’ economic programme — to help the country out of the woods.The top priority is to move resources from a too high wage bill to much-needed capital and social spending. To this purpose the authorities intend to work towards reducing the share of revenues absorbed by the wage bill,” IMF said.Over 70% of government’s revenue is gobbled by the wage bill.
IMF said plans to amend the Public Finance Management and the Procurement Acts will seek to increase accountability, transparency and efficiency in the use of public resources.However, IMF warned that economic prospects remain difficult for Zimbabwe.
“Growth has slowed, and we expect it to weaken further in 2015. Despite the favourable impact of lower oil prices, the external position remains precarious and the country is in debt distress,” it said.Despite economic and financial difficulties, the Zimbabwean authorities have made progress in implementing their macroeconomic and structural reform programs, particularly regarding clarifying the indigenization policy, restoring confidence and improving financial sector soundness, and strengthening public financial management.IMF staff will continue to support Zimbabwe’s economic reforms and their pursuit towards a debt relief strategy.
Staff will remain engaged with the authorities to monitor progress in the implementation of their economic program, and will continue to provide targeted technical assistance in order to support Zimbabwe’s capacity-building efforts and its adjustment and ongoing reform process.FINANCE minister Patrick Chinamasa is in Washington DC to attend the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s 2015 spring meetings which begin today and end on Sunday hoping to use the forum to engage multilateral lending institutions.
Zimbabwe is implementing a 15-month Staff-Monitored Programme (SMP) with the Bretton Woods institution, but the IMF has ruled out financial assistance until Zimbabwe settles its debt of US$142 million in overdue payments.
Zimbabwe has an external debt of at least US$10 billion.
Chinamasa’s delegation comprises Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya, Finance permanent secretary Willard Manungo and other senior government officials.Despite noting progress, Fanizza observed a number of serious challenges the government has to address to achieve economic recovery which is proving elusive.
“Economic prospects remain difficult. Growth has slowed, and we expect it to weaken further in 2015. Despite the favourable impact of lower oil prices, the external position remains precarious, and the country is in debt distress. The authorities are committed to intensifying their efforts to lay the ground for stronger, more inclusive and lasting economic growth.”
At Independence in 1980, Zimbabwe was the most industrialised country in sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa, but has been de-industrialising at a fast pace as the economic crisis maintains its grip.
Chinamasa announced in his budget for 2015 that 4 610 companies closed shop between 2011 and 2014 resulting in the loss of more than 55 000 jobs.
Fanizza said the policy reform agenda consists of a number of major areas which include balancing the primary fiscal accounts, restoring confidence in Zimbabwe’s financial sector, improving the investment climate and garnering support for a strategy to clear arrears with multilateral institutions.
On restoring confidence in the country’s financial sector, Fanizza said: “A sound operational framework for the Zimbabwe Asset Management Company (Zamco) is key to freeing the banking system from the burden of high non-performing loans (NPL) that limit the banks’ ability to extend credit to the private sector and keep the cost of credit high.”PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s announcement to reverse Treasury’s recent decision to suspend civil servants’ bonuses could jeorpadise Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa’s ongoing re-engagement efforts with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to obtain fresh funding to kickstart the free-falling economy.
According to IMF statement No. 15/101, Zimbabwe had agreed to cut its recurrent expenditure — which includes the salaries and wage bill — hence Chinamasa’s announcement last week to suspend the bonus payments was in line with that agreement.Meanwhile, Mugabe defended his government’s drive to take majority control of foreign-owned mining companies, saying investors must pay for exploiting Africa’s mineral wealth.
In his first state visit to neighbouring South Africa in two decades, 91-year-old Mugabe was scathing of mining firms that criticised a law obliging foreign-owned firms to sell at least 51 percent to black Zimbabweans.
“You’re leaving holes in my country and you want to say the capital is more valuable?” Mugabe told reporters after trade talks with South African President Jacob Zuma.
“The gold that I have, God given gold, is much more beneficial to my country,” he added, drawing applause from Zimbabwean and South African government ministers.Land is an emotive issue also in South Africa, where most of it remains in white hands since apartheid ended two decades ago despite the ruling party’s efforts at redistribution.
Western countries have withheld financial aid to Harare in protest over Mugabe’s policies and charges he has rigged elections to stay in power, worsening an economic crisis that has driven millions of Zimbabweans to South Africa for jobs.
During an hour-long, unscripted speech, Mugabe attacked the “reckless and brutal approach of the West” towards Africa and the Middle East, lampooning former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and describing the United Nations as a “circus”.
“The commitment to eliminate the primary fiscal deficit reaffirms Zimbabwe’s intention to further raise its capacity to repay [loan arrears].
The top priority is to move resources from a too high wage bill to much-needed capital and social spending. To this purpose, the authorities intend to work toward reducing the share of revenues absorbed by the wage bill,” the IMF said.THIS BLOODY STUPID JERK IS ABSOLUTELY USELESS, INHUMAN AND GOOD FOR NOTHING.