NOW is the time.
It is the time to unify and run with the national dream.
A new economic plan has been availed, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset) to lift that dream of an expectant nation.
Yet the national morale is once again down as we are facing yet another liquidity crisis.
The economy is at a standstill.
Things are not moving according to plan.
Zim Asset is a strategic document linking problems to solutions.
Some have labelled it the ‘21st century barter trade’.
The mineral wealth and our soils is what we have.
As President Mugabe once said, it is time we rewrite the books of economy that dictate that we who have the wealth in our soils are nothing in comparison with those who have the capital.
We require the expertise and technology that those in the East have and they as a nation need what we have in our soils.
Zim Asset is to be funded chiefly by the mining sector as we cannot afford not to add on crippling debts.
As it stands, it is expected that the diamonds will play a major role.
Just recently the American ambassador Bruce Wharton revealed that they will not remove the ZIDERA Act which gave birth to the sanctions hampering our economy.
This means that Zimbabwe’s diamond revenue remitted from the European Union cannot flow through the traditional London or New York routes as it will be blocked and confiscated.
This is where the media should come in as there are some who still publish that there are no sanctions.
They claim that the sanctions are targeted personally on President Mugabe and his ‘cronies’ and not the majority.
We can no longer afford this ignorant attitude as we are to fully recover from a decade of economic doldrums.
Some have lost hope and others have already declared ‘Totenda maruva tadya chakata’.
Zim Asset seeks to address Food Security and Nutrition; Social Services and Poverty Eradication; Infrastructure and Utilities and Value Addition and Beneficiation issues.
It is time that we look at Zim Asset as the Zimbabwean flag which unifies everyone regardless of political affiliation.
We carry the flag of our nation even though the party of our choice is not in power, which is what Zim Asset should be to every one of us.
It is time we take the politics from national issues that affect all of us.
This is our home and the Zim Asset becomes the blanket that covers us all.
It is the national project that requires our participation.
A wait and see attitude does not help.
Zim Asset should cease to become a ZANU PF manifesto and become a national cause.
It has often been said that Zimbabweans are among the best planners and worst implementers.
Therefore, the task is heavily placed on those in government to take this economic blue print seriously.
It becomes the task of the media and policy makers to clearly identify and publicise the ordinary citizen’s role in this social and economic revolution.
We can no longer afford to remain idle and hope that someone else will run with this vision.
Consequences should be in place for those that thwart the national dream.
Corruption should be dealt with a heavy blow.
We cannot afford to have another blue print go into the ‘proverbial dustbins’ of history.
This is time for people to give value to the country.
Mark my words.