KANA ndichishaura batai mazwi kuitira mangwana (When I sing listen carefully so that in future you can interpret my message correctly), sang Leonard Zhakata a few years ago.
At the tail end of his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament on Tuesday, the enduring message that reinforced President Robert Mugabe’s speech was desolately drowned in the cheering and heckling by some House of Assembly members.
Yet the message and the SONA itself was a simply oration of events leading to the economic boon that is about to happen in Zimbabwe.
It was a message of hope, a message of encouragement.
It was a message of peace, unity and development.
Very big things are about to happen in Zimbabwe.
This is why on Tuesday, President Mugabe’s speech called for all Zimbabweans to unite and be part of the rebuilding thrust as one entity bound by one common goal and objective, that of developing the country.
“I wish to end by urging our people to continue to treasure and safeguard the peace that we enjoy, and to promote the unity and spirit of hard work that Zimbabweans, the world over, are known for,” said President Mugabe.
“Let us continue to believe in ourselves, to believe in our collective capacity to overcome adversity and challenges that confront us.”
There is arguably no day in recent memory that the people of Zimbabwe have fervently waited for than August 25 2015.
It was on this day that not only the revelation that Zimbabwe, our dearest country was finally poised for the major economic take-off that had eluded it for many years was made, but the people’s collective agenda was put firmly in motion and right on track.
On the surface, it will not be difficult to understand why some are not convinced that the economy will grow to the hugely anticipated dizzy heights and why others are simply sceptical.
The economy is going through a difficult phase.
Yet events and action taken by Government in recent times has been the stimulant needed to contain the wretched existence of this economy in its current form and nature.
It will not be long that those who dismissed President Mugabe’s SONA will be ruing the day they stubbornly refused his message.
“Zimbabwe is already positioning itself for major economic take-off in keeping with Zim-ASSET, which requires massive capital injection and rapid implementation,” said President Mugabe.
“This has seen Government signing key projects with China covering energy, roads, railways and telecommunications, water, agriculture, mining and tourism.”
Anchoring this new developmental thrust is the 10-point plan drawn by Government to revitalise agriculture and the agro-processing value chain, advance value addition to agricultural and mining resource endowments, among other key developmental objectives.
Already, China has pledged an unlimited cap for the proposed investments with highly placed Government sources telling The Patriot that funding for these projects will be well over ‘several billions’.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who believe in me through their message,” reads John 17:20.
Zimbabwe is it a crucial stage in its history.
It is embarking on a path of self-regulation where individuals, no matter how difficult things are at the moment, must do self-introspection and gear themselves for the take-off confronting us like a hungry lion.
Zimbabwe is evolving, Saturday Herald columnist, Nathaniel Manheru told us last week.
Those who believe in Robert Mugabe through their collective message will have to brace themselves for what is about to happen.
This is what President Mugabe was saying on Tuesday.
This is what the following 10-point plan entails.
1. Revitalising agriculture and the agro-processing value chain.
2. Advancing beneficiation and /or value addition to our agriculture and mining resource endowment.
3. Focusing on infrastructural development, particularly in the key energy, water, transport and ICTs subsectors.
4. Unlocking the potential of Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
5. Encouraging private investment.
6. Restoration and building of confidence and stability in the financial services sector.
7. Promoting joint ventures and public private partnerships to boost role and performance of State-owned companies.
8. Modernising labour laws.
9. Pursuing an anti-corruption thrust.
10. Implementation of Special Economic Zones to provide impetus for Foreign Direct Investment.
Most significantly, it is the urgency in overhauling of the Companies Act and all legislation which have been hindering the ‘ease of doing business’ in line with the Rapid Results Approach Framework that points to the speed with which the Government wants things to move.
Prior to the SONA on Tuesday, there had been a growing chorus for speedy processing of investment proposals and other allied issues relating to investing in the country.
General sloppiness and a lethargic approach to issues had been the bane of our country’s development.
As we march towards the major economic take-off, it is our hope that those who have been sleeping on duty have woken from their slumber and are ready to work with the rest of the nation.
This message must, like the rain, shower everyone with the vigour and energy required to carry out this task.
Let those with ears listen.