THE 100-day cycles President Mnangagwa has challenged his Ministers, within which, to come up with people-centred ‘quantifiable’ and ‘measurable’ targets, has simplified the task for the electorate to assess performance by Government ministers.
It is through this 100-day benchmark that the President’s advocacy of the interconnection between the economy and politics will be effectively felt by the people.
Already people can’t wait for the end of February to see the outcomes of the first 100-day cycle.
We have no doubt, following the cue from the President, each of the 21 Ministers has already ‘hit the ground running’.
But what is crucial is that whatever each Ministry would have achieved, is expected to set the tone for future developments.
Suffice to note that there are many more 100-day cycles the electorate will be keenly following.
Definitely the 100-day cycle at the end of February, though only the beginning of many more to come, will go a long way in creating a lasting image of the Minister to the electorate.
The question of breathing a sigh of relief before resting is out, for this is not a one-off exercise.
This should ensure the ministers are kept on their toes throughout subsequent 100-day cycles.
It is especially so because in the past, people’s expectations have initially hit the roof, only to fizzle into massive disappointments with time.
What immediately comes to mind is the enthusiasm that was generated by Aliko Dangote’s proposed US$400 million cement plant investment.
Of no less significance is the Chinese US$144 million bank loan to refurbish Morton Jaffray water treatment works which should have long rid Harare of all its water woes.
Regrettably, the enthusiasm quickly sagged when it was learn§ the loan had, instead, been used to buy cars for city bosses.
With the new dispensation, we expect the characteristic lackadaisical approach that followed the announcement of what we were told were ‘mega deals’ to be a thing of the past.
Here we are merely warning our Ministers against tantalising the electorate with the mistaken belief that their memories are short.
True, we understand everything won’t be smooth sailing as the Ministers toil to deliver.
Hurdles that include rigid mindsets of some of the implementors and the intrusion of gremlins bent on tossing spanners to induce failure can be expected.
But a determined team, with the people at heart, in spite of adversities, is expected to deliver.
Nothing is impossible.
As the ministers map out their strategies, they should look at unfolding events that have already become part of the new dispensation.
The Command Agriculture Programme has demonstrated that overnight, Zimbabwe can regain her breadbasket status.
The transition from the Mugabe era to the present one has also demonstrated how disciplined and receptive to development the Zimbabwean polity can be.
By coming up with sound and quantifiable development targets, the Ministers will have demonstrated their adaptability to a new way of doing things as required by the new dispensation.
No doubt the spirit behind the projects cited by the Ministers during the first 100-day cycle will be the basis of major projects as the revival of our economy gains momentum.
This should enable us to see moribund entities like the ZISCO Steel industrial complex, the National Railways of Zimbabwe and the Cold Storage Company, among others, back at full throttle.
It is this spirit which is destined to see Zimbabwe take its rightful place among other giants, be it in agriculture, mining, energy and transport, among a host of other areas.
Meanwhile, Ministers are reminded that the countdown to the first 100 days is not exclusive.
The whole nation is waiting.