THEY say it’s darkest just before dawn, and if we go by daily utterances of regime change advocates, it looks like the country’s economy is moribund.
These doomsday predictors are busy telling those who care to listen to them that the present ZANU PF Government is clueless on how to revive the sanctions battered economy.
They foam at the mouth dismissing the Government’s most recent blueprint for economic recovery, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-ASSET) as a document not worth the paper on which it is printed.
But wait a minute.
Events on the ground, however, show that the prophets of doom are either not following what is happening or are deliberately refusing to believe what they are seeing.
As we pointed out in our last week’s issue, the re-engagement push by the British think tank Chatham House, is a result of the realisation that the ZANU PF Government is succeeding.
Instead of the economic meltdown once predicted they are now seeing dawn through the successful implementation of Zim-ASSET.
The British cannot afford to see ZANU PF succeed on their own hence the strategy to lull them into sleep as they attempt to infiltrate the revolutionary party.
Taking a cue from their handlers, we then hear puppets like Morgan Tsvangirai and Tendai Biti dreaming of infiltration through another Government of National Unity (GNU).
It’s already too late.
Zim-ASSET, a natural progression of the ZANU PF election manifesto is already in full swing.
Food Security and Nutrition is one of the four clusters of this economic blueprint which is already flourishing.
The food security guaranteed through bumper harvests as a result of the recent ZANU PF input scheme where over 1,7 million households benefitted is there for all to see.
Factor in the massive agriculture project in Chinhoyi – a joint venture between the Chinese and the Zimbabwe National Army – and our detractors might have to revise their predictions of gloom.
Those predicting the collapse of Zim-ASSET through the absence of funding must have received a severe knock recently.
For Chinese Ambassador Lin Lin last week announced that his government was in negotiations with Zimbabwe that could lead to his country providing a loan package worth billions to fund Zim-ASSET.
The number of clusters that will benefit from such cash injection will make those wishing Zim-ASSET failure green with envy.
There is also talk of investor reluctance to do business with Zimbabwe as one of the key factors that shall see the collapse of Zim-ASSET.
One needn’t cast one’s eyes further than the defunct Zisco Steel where the resuscitation of New ZimSteel in Kwekwe is already in motion.
Production of steel is bound to have a ripple effect in the resuscitation of industry countrywide.
And the extent to which poverty reduction will be taken care of as industry turns to life cannot be disputed.
A Turkish company has also weighed in, in the Social Services Cluster through a construction venture that will see thousands housing units and schools.
Things are also happening in the Value Addition and Beneficiation Cluster.
Our diamonds which were sold in Dubai fetched more money because they had been polished.
Added to that, the plans to have a platinum refinery at Zimplats are a testimony to ensure that none of the four clusters which are a hallmark of Zim-ASSET is lagging behind.
Zim-ASSET is an economic blueprint that is heading for a resounding success and a bright future is in store for Zimbabweans.