Reform programme gathers momentum

SINCE assuming power, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has branded himself as a reformer. On many occasions, both public and private, he has vowed to reorganise, remodel and restructure the country’s political, economic and legal landscape. Reforming, by nature, is a difficult and winding process, which often brings pain.

Reforming a country under sanctions from the world’s biggest economy further complicates the process. However, over the last 12 months, Government has pushed through a number of reforms.

Political reforms

For the first time in the country’s history, a platform was created for all the actors in politics to meet, discuss and find solutions to problems afflicting the country.

The Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) was launched by President Mnangagwa last May with 17 political parties that participated in the 2018 harmonised election joining the roundtable.

“This platform is designed to be a vibrant forum through which we proffer solutions to the challenges that confront us a nation, through peaceful, open and transparent discourse,” said President Mnangagwa when he launched the platform.

“The culture of dialogue we begin…, must indeed be synonymous with us as a nation and as a people. This journey we are embarking on, must ultimately lead us towards improving our democratic practices and culture. It must also lead us to a stage where we can compete and cooperate, always informed and guided by our national interests.”

The dialogue process is co-chaired by Gender Commission chair Mrs Mukahanana-Sangarwe and National Peace and Reconciliation Commission chair Retired Justice Selo Nare and has convened several meetings culminating in last month’s meeting at President Mnangagwa’s farm in Kwekwe. Earlier in the year, POLAD leaders also toured Manicaland to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Idai in the province.

It is envisaged that the establishment of POLAD will engender a culture of peaceful engagement among Zimbabweans as a mechanism to deal with any issue that may affect the country.

During 2019, Government also began implementing measures to ensure healing among victims of civil disturbances that rocked the Midlands and south-western provinces during the early years of Independence, in an operation infamously referred to as Gukurahundi. President Mnangagwa met civil society groups in Matabeleland under the Matabeleland Collective banner where he undertook to facilitate healing and decentralisation of Government services to the province.

Among the key interventions, being implemented by Government include the issuance of birth and death certificates to those affected by the disturbances while authorities will also facilitate the exhumation and reburial of victims of Gukurahundi. Medical assistance would also be availed for those injured during the time while other restorative justice measures are set to be rolled out.

Government also undertook to hand over the long delayed Matabeleland Zambezi Water project to local leadership. In June the President also met Midlands and Matabeleland traditional leaders in a continuation of dialogue with all various sectors of society.

Legal reforms

The highlight in the legal side of reforms was the repealing of the infamous Public Order and Security Act, which was replaced by the Maintenance of Peace Act.

The new law guarantees greater freedoms of association and assembly, freedoms which were otherwise limited under the previous Government.

Government also promulgated the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (ZIDA) Act. The passing of the law represented a milestone in terms of portraying Zimbabwe as an attractive investment destination.

The law removes various bureaucratic hurdles that curtailed investment flows into the country. Remnants of the obnoxious indigenisation were also removed from the country’s statues.

Another milestone was the promulgation of the Tripartite Negotiating Forum Act, which will facilitate formal dialogue between Government, Business and Labour. The Act is also envisaged to culminate in the creation of a social contract between the parties.

Government has during the current Parliamentary session undertaken to fast track the enactment of extensive political and economic reforms, including introducing some Constitutional amendments to establish democracy and personal freedoms.

Authorities plan to table a raft new legislation to entrench Constitutionalism and level the electoral playing field in line with recommendations by a high level Cabinet committee and international observers to 2018 elections.

The Constitution will be amended to fine-tune clauses providing for devolution of government, while the national census will be de-linked from the delimitation exercise, which entails the drawing up of electoral boundaries.

In addition, the women’s quota in Parliament will also be extended beyond 2023, while the running mate clause for Presidential elections, which was set to kick in during the next elections, will be scrapped.

Furthermore, a new Electoral Act will be tabled for debate in Parliament and Government will set up an independent complaints mechanism to handle complaints of misconduct by members of the security services, in line with section 210 of the Constitution.

Authorities also seek to amend Section 92 of the Constitution by removing the provision for the joint election of a President and two Vice Presidents.

The retirement of senior judges will also be extended through a Constitutional amendment, while a clause providing for the establishment of the office of the Chief Secretary to the Office of the President and Cabinet will be included.

An office of the Public Protector will also be introduced.

Economic

A plethora of economic reforms were introduced over the last 12 months with the biggest highlight being the reintroduction of the Zimbabwe Dollar.

After nearly a decade out of circulation, the Minister of Finance Professor Mthuli Ncube bit the bullet and outlawed multi-currency system that had been in place since 2009.

In February 2019, he introduced the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) dollar, which was said to be the new currency which only existed electronically.

Cash was only introduced later in the year, in the form of $5 and $2 and coins.

In a major departure from the previous two seasons, Government also discontinued the Command agriculture programme, replacing it with the private sector funded Smart Agriculture scheme.

Government partnered Agribank, CBZ, Stanbic and Women’s Banks to manage and disburse funds for the programme under a new financing model being supported by the private sector.

The Government is guaranteeing the loans which have a 270 day tenure at interest rates of 10,5 percent per annum, while an upfront fee of 2,25 percent is also being charged.

A $3,6 billion kitty was set aside by Treasury for agriculture with $2,8 billion going towards maize and soya beans production; and is being administered by the banks.

Farmers are not required to surrender collateral since verification is being done by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, and Rural Resettlement.

Inputs are being supplied through an electronic voucher system administered by banks with the inputs being provided at district level.

Repayments will be deducted as farmers deliver grain to the Grain Marketing Board.

Corruption

For the first time in the country’s history, authorities appear to be taking the fight against high level corruption seriously.

In May, President Mnangagwa appointed respected jurist, Justice Loice Matanda Moyo as head of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission before eight other commissioners were appointed later on.

Since coming into office, Zacc has bared its teeth on a number of high profile individuals including former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko who faced allegations of criminal abuse of office and former Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Priscah Mupfumira.

Mupfumira is facing allegations of prejudicing NSSA of around US$95 million.

Marry Mubaiwa, the estranged wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has also been arraigned for allegedly externalising US$1 033 000 and illegally laundering US$990 000.

Joram Gumbo, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs (Monitoring and Implementation of Government Programmes), was also arrested for criminal abuse of office late last year.

Former principal director of State Residences in the Office of the President and Cabinet Douglas Tapfuma was hauled before the courts on criminal abuse of office charges after he allegedly facilitated the importation of several vehicles duty-free.