Reform tops ED’s first year in charge
THE first year of President Mnangagwa’s leadership has been underpinned by massive reforms to transform the country economically and change its governance, a top Government official has said.
Zimbabweans last year elected President Mnangagwa of the ruling Zanu-PF party at the expense closest challenger, opposition MDC-Alliance’s Nelson Chamisa and a field of other candidates.
Since assuming the reins, the Head of State and Government has instituted measures to stop previous maladministration as the Second Republic seeks to chart a new trajectory for the country.
Diplomatically, Zimbabwe is pursuing a policy of engagement and re-engagement with the international community.
In a statement yesterday, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo outlined a number of positive changes that have taken place in the past year.
“It is now one year since the election of President Emmerson Mnangagwa to the helm of the State. This marks an important milestone for a new administration which has made reform a key priority, seeking to sweep away decades of misrule and mismanagement which had become so synonymous with Zimbabwe during the First Republic.
“Much has changed, but of course, very significant challenges remain — prime amongst them the fragility of our economy as it transitions towards the path of sustainable growth, further impacted, now, by the serious effect of drought-induced food insecurity and the lingering aftermath of Cyclone Idai.
“Managing the combination of all this would prove daunting to any government, especially one such as ours which is pursuing a serious, far-reaching reform agenda without any form of budgetary or other financial support from those institutions which, traditionally, would underwrite such economic restructuring. We are doing it largely on the basis of our own resources,” Minister Moyo said.
Zimbabwe has introduced austerity measures, a cocktail of economic reforms meant to cure past profligacy and under-performance. The painful
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measures are soon to be phased out to pave way for a period of prosperity.
“. . . His Excellency has repeatedly acknowledged, Government is acutely aware of the painful effect these austerity measures are having upon the already long-suffering people of Zimbabwe. But, as His Excellency has also said, these measures are necessary to ensure the stabilisation of our economy and to put the nation back on a path of growth and development.
“On the basis of sustained primary Budget surpluses, resources are being directed to cushion, wherever possible, the most vulnerable and needy within our society from the impact of these admittedly harsh measures,” Minister Moyo said.
Minister Moyo also noted that the anniversary of the elections coincided with the violent post-election demonstrations by the opposition MDC which resulted in the death of six people who are casting a shadow on the conduct of the security services.
However, Government has since intervened to remedy the situation and related professional issues of the security sector with an international panel of experts known as the Motlanthe Commission being called in to probe the events.
“Compensation is being paid to the families of those who tragically lost their lives in the violence which occurred on 1 August and on 14/15 January this year. That process should be complete by the end of 2019.
“The ZRP has been undergoing retraining and capacitation in order to ensure that Civil Authority is better able to manage any instance of public disorder or unrest which may occur in the future; and so that recourse to the military will be avoided.
“Part of that re-training has focused on human rights-related aspects of policing and law-enforcement more generally, and has been well-received and appreciated by all those involved,” he said.
“Police and military investigations into the civilian deaths of 1 August and 14/15 January are ongoing.”