CSOs hail Govt successes under trying environment

GOVERNMENT has been commended for making significant progress in implementing key targets of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), especially at a time when the country is battling the coronavirus pandemic and its associated challenges.

Despite Covid-19, which has disrupted global supply chains and affected local economic activities, exogenous shocks from the Russia-Ukraine conflict are also presenting considerable headwinds.

But civil society organisations (CSOs) have noted impressive progress in infrastructure development, energy, transport and general economic output as outlined in the five-year economic blueprint,

NDS1.

The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) and its development partners recently carried out research on the implementation of NDS1 and progress achieved so far.

ZIMCODD executive director Mrs Janet Zhou told journalists that CSOs decided to monitor the progress of NDS1 implementation as previous economic blueprints have been implemented in a vacuum without formative, implementation and summative evaluation.

“On infrastructure development, ZIMCODD acknowledges the positive strides towards infrastructure revolution as witnessed by various construction activities across the country.

“These include, but not limited, to road construction, dams and the new Parliament building. On public transport, although there is still a long way to go, the Government is making efforts in purchasing buses and ensuring that public transport challenges are addressed.

“However, there is need for the Government not to relax but continue striving to ensure that optimum public transport is attained,” she said.

The Second Republic under President Mnangagwa has achieved major milestones within a short space of time.

Some of the major projects under implementation include the Beitbridge-Harare Highway being financed using local resources, modernisation of

Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, sprucing up of Beitbridge Border Post, the construction of Kunzvi Dam and Gwayi-Shangani Lake, and the rehabilitation of major roads in Harare and other cities and towns.

Government, Mrs Zhou added, should find a way to ensure benefits from these projects accrue to ordinary Zimbabweans. The country’s economy grew by 7,8 percent in 2021.

“However, the Government must now find a way of aligning this development with the general populace so that Zimbabweans begin to enjoy the fruits of this growth,” she said.

The research also noted that energy sector had witnessed positive steps towards strengthening power generation and energy security.

Expansion of Hwange Thermal Power Station Unit 7 & 8 − expected to add 600 MW into the grid − repowering of three small thermal power stations, namely Harare, Bulawayo and Munyati power stations to add another 200MW, are some of the projects in the pipeoine.

The CSOs, however, encouraged Government to prioritise clean energy.

On food and nutrition security, the report established that the bumper harvest in 2021 did not reduce food challenges in some parts of the country because of economic and climate shocks coupled with low adoption of climate-smart technology.

But Government has created a number of safety nets to cater for people who might have food security challenges.

ZIMCODD also launched its survey report on the implementation of the Auditor-General’s recommendations by local authorities in Zimbabwe, including a case study on the implementation of recommendations of the Auditor-General’s report in Masvingo Province.

Commenting on the reports, Mrs Zhou said: “ZIMCODD believes that optimum policy research and strategic dissemination of research products is key in the transmutation of policy discourse from the attentive public to the sub-Government where key policy decisions are made.”