The Sunday News
THE country’s economic turnaround cannot be achieved if people in key positions in Government and industry continue with a “business as usual” or lackadaisical approach.
When President Mnangagwa declared that the country is open for business, he urged fellow countrymen to change the way of doing business as he seeks to steer the country in a new political and business trajectory.
Of course, we have already seen signs of progress with the international business community coming into the country to dialogue and sign new business ventures. On the political front, there has been a massive change in perception towards Zimbabwe with the international community embracing President Mnangagwa and the Government’s re-engagement foreign policy.
We believe each and every Zimbabwean has a role to play to make this country a better place. Workers and employers at whatever level have a duty to walk the talk, just as President Mnangagwa and Government is doing to improve the country’s economy as well as socio-political environment.
Those in cabinet have a duty to implement the Government’s vision and if they fail, they will fall by the wayside, as the President has said. Last week, President Mnangagwa said he will make changes to his Cabinet if he wins the forthcoming elections, dropping those not yet aligned to his vision of modernising Zimbabwe.
The Head of State and Government also said he intends to reform the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) for it to work closely with law enforcement agencies.
President Mnangagwa told Zimbabweans based in Qatar that the anti-corruption drive of his political administration would likely claim the scalps of Cabinet Ministers. Zacc, he said, was being aligned to other State agencies to make it effective.
“My administration is not going to tolerate any corruption at whatever level — zero tolerance to corruption. To do this, my administration requires the support of other institutions: the police, anti-corruption commission, the Judiciary and the National Prosecuting Authority. We are in the process of making them pull in the same direction. I have no doubt that immediately after elections, many heads will roll,” said President Mnangagwa.
Government, he added, had adopted a new work ethic and those not committed to duty, including Cabinet Ministers, would be laid off. President Mnangagwa said he had a burning passion to modernise Zimbabwe through rapid economic transformation.
“My Government has an ambition to change Zimbabwe, to modernise Zimbabwe, to unite Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has been under isolation for the last 18 years. We have said we must not cry day in, day out, month in, month out saying sanctions, sanctions. Indeed, we have sanctions imposed by the West, but we should not accept defeat on the basis of sanctions,” he said.
In addition, Vice-President General Constantino Chiwenga (Retired) said it was time non-performing State Enterprises and Parastatals (SEPs) were shut down if efforts to revive them have failed.
Presenting a paper at the National Defence University in Harare on “Corporate Governance of State Enterprises and Parastatals (SEPs) in Zimbabwe as a National Security Issue”, VP Chiwenga said in 1980, the country inherited 20 SEPs thinly spread across sectors and contributing around 40 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He said the number of SEPs increased over the years to 107 but the contribution to GDP fell to 13,4 percent in 2014 with the contribution of commercial SEPs standing at 7,7 percent.
VP Chiwenga said the new dispensation is determined to ensure that SEPs reform is a success, for the good of the economy.
VP Chiwenga said poor performance of the SEPs risks triggering political instability as envisaged by the Arab Spring that affected Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.
