HEADS TO ROLL IN CABINET Expect changes after elections, ED says
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa says he will make wholesome changes to his Cabinet if he wins the forthcoming elections, dropping those not yet aligned to his vision of modernising Zimbabwe.
The Head of State and Government also said he intends to reform the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) for it to work closely with law enforcement agencies.
President Mnangagwa told Zimbabweans based in Qatar on Tuesday night that the anti-corruption drive of his political administration would likely claim the scalps of Cabinet Ministers.
ZACC, he said, was being aligned to other State agencies to make it effective.
“My administration is not going to tolerate any corruption at whatever level — zero tolerance to corruption! To do this, my administration requires the support of other institutions: the police, anticorruption commission, the Judiciary and the National Prosecuting Authority. We are in the process of making them pull in the same direction. I have no doubt that immediately after elections, many heads will roll,” said President Mnangagwa.
Government, he added, had adopted a new work ethic and those not committed to duty, including Cabinet Ministers, would be laid off.
“We now emphasise productivity, productivity and hard work. A new work ethic has been adopted. Work ethics have changed in Government… including among Ministers. We must put our all to what we are mandated to do. I would like to appeal to you to be distinguished as a Zimbabwean because of hard work. Hard work is the new mantra: Zimbabwe is open for business, but it is necessary that you strive to achieve excellence in whatever you are doing,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said he had a burning passion to modernise Zimbabwe through rapid economic transformation.
“My Government has an ambition to change Zimbabwe, to modernise Zimbabwe, to unite Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has been under isolation for the last 18 years. We have said we must not cry day in, day out, month in, month out saying sanctions, sanctions. Indeed, we have sanctions imposed by the West, but we should not accept defeat on the basis of sanctions,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said like Qatar, Zimbabwe could leverage its bountiful natural resources to grow its economy.
“Our country is endowed with abundant resources, therefore we must use our resources in a united and determined way. We must use our resources to reconstruct our country, develop our country, modernise our country, leapfrog and catch up with the region and beyond,” he said.
The President said Zimbabwe had a stable political environment, democracy and an environment that allows “people to dream, reward those with talent and provide safety nets for the average people”.
He said his administration was committed to ensure “Zimbabwe will never again be visited by food insecurity” owing to the success of the Command Agriculture model and other initiatives in the agricultural sector.
President Mnangagwa said his visit to Qatar – his third State visit after becoming President – at the invitation of the Emir of Qatar, Shiekh Tamim bin Hamed Al Thani, was “very useful, constructive and beneficial”.
Qatar has since committed to fund development projects in Zimbabwe’s education, health and microfinance sectors.
Finance Ministers from the two countries also signed an agreement to enhance trade and cooperation between Harare and Doha.
Annual trade between the two countries, which averaged $1 million annually, is now expected to progressively grow after the bilateral engagements.
A business delegation from Qatar, which will be made up of billionaire business executives, is expected in the country soon.
President Mnangagwa arrived home yesterday and was welcomed at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Cabinet Ministers, senior Government officials and service chiefs.