Huge strides in political, economic reforms

STRIDES have been made by the Government in implementing its electoral promises and it will continue upgrading infrastructure and transforming the economy for the benefit of all citizens, President Mnangagwa twitted yesterday.

The Government has set out a political and economic reform agenda as part of a wider vision of achieving an upper middle income society by 2030.

“With action, not words, shall we rebuild Zimbabwe. Since 2018, my Government has made huge progress in implementing our promises. But there is no time for complacency. We must continue to reform our economy, our infrastructure, and our country for the benefit of all,” he said.

Since the coming in of the new dispensation, the Government had drafted 44 prospective pieces of legislation with 27 of them being tabled in Parliament and of those 20 passing through the process and then being signed into law.

As part of opening up the economy, Government amended the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act by removing the need for majority local ownership of entities funded by foreign investment while State-owned enterprises are being reformed to enhance their contribution to the fiscus.

The Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency was established last year, consolidating previous agencies into a single structure and setting up a one-stop port of call thus further simplifying the process of registering a new business.

Entities operating from the onestop-centre include the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, the Environmental Management Agency, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, the National Social Security Authority, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, the State Enterprises Restructuring Agency and specialised investment units and other relevant line ministries. That means a single visit to a single location can sort out the paperwork.

The Public Order and Security Act was repealed and replaced by the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act while the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act was dumped and replaced with the Freedom of Information Act with new laws governing the constitutionally-created Zimbabwe Media Commission.

The Government has also created the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) platform where all political actors engage on issues of national importance.

Relations with the European Union have thawed with the two parties engaging in direct dialogue since the coming in of the Second Republic following nearly two decades of strained relations.

Zimbabwe is in the process of rejoining the Commonwealth as part of its re-engagement agenda.

The Government has embarked on massive infrastructure development that includes dam and road construction and major expansion of power stations.

The Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge road is under a major repair and upgrade using local resources while a countrywide road rehabilitation programme is underway.

Some of the dams that have been completed include Marowanyati and Muchekeranwa in Manicaland and Mashonaland East provinces.

Several new mines for platinum, coal and chrome are being developed with the ease of doing business helping both local and foreign investors along with Government guarantees about access