The Sunday News
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa spent the past three days in the City of Kings and Queens where he officially opened health care facilities and also toured a number of manufacturing companies.
The visit by His Excellency was testimony to his desire to see Bulawayo get back to its status as an economic hub.
Already, the ground work has been set by sound economic policies by the Second Republic anchored on the National Development Strategy 1, which seeks to build steps towards the attainment of Vision 2030 where the country’s economy is poised to be an Upper Middle Class. Vision 2030 reflects the collective aspirations and determination of the people of Zimbabwe “Towards a Prosperous and Empowered Upper Middle Income Society by 2030.”
Vision 2030 will be realised through the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) (2018-2020) and two successive Five-Year National Development Strategies; NDS1 (2021-2025) and NDS 2 (2026-2030). The main objectives of TSP was stabilising the economy and creating a solid foundation for the Medium Term Plans, namely NDS1 and NDS2. Notable progress was made in the implementation of the TSP, including fiscal consolidation, (currency) exchange rate stability and a number of achievements in various pillars.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development says the 2021-2025 Macroeconomic Framework is premised on the adoption and swift implementation of bold policies and programmes aimed at achieving economic transformation through the creation of a thriving private-sector led, open and competitive economy, with sound macroeconomic policies anchored on fiscal discipline, monetary and financial sector stability, a business friendly environment which promotes both foreign and domestic investment.
The Government has so far availed massive financial resources to Bulawayo and Matabeleland provinces to ensure the revival and sustainability of economic activities. The impetus given to the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project, which has seen accelerated construction of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam and the commission of the 260km Gwayi-Shangani Dam-Bulawayo pipeline will see the end to perennial water problems in the city, and help drive the economy. Water is a strategic resource when it comes to industry, and the manufacturing industry, among others, will certainly benefit the most.
There has also been a marked improved in the health care sector, where Government has been actively involved in the refurbishment of health care facilities in the city. For any economy to prosper, it needs a healthy workforce, and the Second Republic has been doing pretty well in that regard. In Matabeleland North, a provincial hospital is taking shape at Lupane and should be operational before the end of the year, while construction of a 150-bed district hospital at Esigodini in Matabeleland South it set to commence soon.
President Mnangagwa on Friday officially commissioned the Bulawayo Orthopedic Hospital and the United Bulawayo Hospitals Covid-19 Isolation and Treatment Centre.
The orthopedic hospital, Cure Children’s Hospital is the first in Zimbabwe to offer free surgeries to children under the age of 18 from Matabeleland, Midlands, Masvingo, Bulawayo provinces and the nation at large.
The President told delegates that the commissioning of the two projects was a testimony of the bold and strategic decisions taken by the Second Republic to stabilize, restructure and reform public health sector in Zimbabwe.
“Our commitment to complete and deliver high impact projects, which prioritise the needs of the people are ongoing, with greater urgency. This is in view of the need to put in place critical building blocks towards achieving the National Development Strategy 1, Vision 2030. My Government will indeed leave no stone unturned to ensure that all the people in all parts of the country enjoy a better quality of life,” he said.
