Zanu-PF urged to focus on fixing economic challenges

THE ongoing Zanu-PF national conference must give the party a chance to realign its energies into coherence and come up with responsive strategies to arrest the obtaining economic challenges.

The citizenry's expectations are that the party focuses on priorities to mend the ailing economy in fulfilment of their hopes for better future.

Zanu-PF Manicaland secretary for administration Kenneth Saruchera said this week that Manicaland joined other provinces and passed a resolution that guarantees an unchallenged slot of the presidential candidature of Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2023 so that he pursues his vision to transform the country into a middle-income economy by 2030.

The province supported the resolution so that the roots of the vision were firmly established in 2019 for the vision tree to blossom and bear fruits in 2030.

"We recommend that Government continue promoting private sector and market driven economy; find lasting solution to currency crisis; review taxes so as to reduce the burden on the poor; control profit margins in the banking sector and accelerate the development of SMEs through provision of affordable capital," said Saruchera.

He said there was need to create a self sufficient and food surplus economy.

"It is expected that food security and nutrition sector contribute significantly to national development through the provision of an enabling environment for sustainable economic empowerment and social transformation. Agriculture is at the heart of the Zimbabwean economy, accounting for 17 percent of GDP, about 27 percent of employment and 33 percent of the total foreign exchange earnings. As such the economic turnaround is predicated on good agriculture recovery," he said.

Saruchera said most of the country's natural resources – minerals, agriculture products, timber should not be exported raw.

"We recommend that comprehensive value addition chains be set up. In Manicaland there is need to urgently set up processing plants for diamonds, gold, phosphate, fruits, vegetables and timber. There is need to resuscitate all closed food canning like Cashel Valley, Border Streams, Rusitu Jam Canners and improve underutilised capacities in factories like Cairns Food. We need to establish stock feed manufacturing factories and expand milk production by expanding milk processing plants," he said.

Saruchera said divided loyalty within the party's own ranks could be dealt with by ensuring that prospective party leaders passed through the Chitepo School of Ideology.

"It was, most frankly talk show in the previous regime and we appreciate the new dispensation's dusting of its shelves and rejuvenating it by restructuring its leadership, and giving it a new strategy.

The annual conference is being held in Esigodini, Matabeleland South.

The party made the resolutions at its inter-district meeting held in Mutare on Saturday.

The meeting was also attended by the national political commissar Engelbert Rugeje.

Manicaland also pledged total loyalty and hard work in making President Mnangagwa a reality.

Rugeje said the ruling party is set to commit the whole of next year for restructuring.

He warned party members against creating parallel structures saying the National Election Committee would be responsible for making any changes.

The national political commissar urged party members to unite delivering their election promises.

He said those in party leadership should exercise servant leadership and always remain in contact with grass roots.