Opinion / Columnist
ED's taken the politics out the economics, and given us all a brighter future
10 Dec 2018 at 08:12hrs | Views
As we all take giant strides in the history of Zimbabwe, we should all take a moment of reflection. Let us remember from whence we have come. Just over a year ago, we were stuck in a rut. A pariah state. An outcast nation. An embarrassment to ourselves and our continent.
We were under the oppressive rule of a dictator who was not embarrassed to admit that he wanted to rule until his death. No shame, no humility. None of the values we would instill in our children. A national disgrace. Our economy was in a dire state, with no hope on the horizon. No international investors were even considering stepping foot in the internationally renowned lost cause of Zimbabwe.
Worse still, the political potential was zero. With Grace pulling the strings behind the old man, we all saw what was to come. Our hopeful history had become a pessimistic present. Our future looked formidably daunting.
But the new dispensation has changed all that. Despite legitimate complaints and real hardships, things are now different. We have a leader who lets us speak our minds, who encourages debate and free speech. He even writes to us on Facebook and Twitter – daily! We have a leader who is putting Zim back on the global stage, who is welcomed at the UN, and across the world from East to West. No longer are we just reliant on our all-weather friends.
Investment is coming in thick and fast, and while austerity measures are hitting everyone hard, they are part of a new sensible economic policy which is just what this country needs. Jobs are being created, and factories are opening. From the top, there is no more spend spend spend. No more out of control corruption. In its place, we now see a lucid, well crafted economic and fiscal policy, thought out and implemented by a financially minded technocrat and a committed president.
ED has successfully taken the politics out of the economics. He has removed the party focused internally minded policies, to promote a nationwide Zimbabwe minded economic outlook. Both Finance Minister Ncube and the President are rightly receiving plaudits all around the world; from the Financial Times, to the halls of Congress. During these turbulent times of change, they both deserve our support.
Of course, there is a lot more work to do. Of course, we still suffer. But let us remember where we were. Let's remember just how bad things had become under the royal couple of Bob and Grace. We were heading off a cliff, and ED came in, put the brakes on, and saved us. We are luckily not in that place any more. We are in new reality. A reality whereby our economic wellbeing is put first, and politics, second.
So in this time of mass media and mass hysteria, I urge calm and patience, support and hope. The horizon is stabilizing. Sensible policy is here. And finally, despite some bumps in the road, Zimbabwe is moving in the right direction.
We were under the oppressive rule of a dictator who was not embarrassed to admit that he wanted to rule until his death. No shame, no humility. None of the values we would instill in our children. A national disgrace. Our economy was in a dire state, with no hope on the horizon. No international investors were even considering stepping foot in the internationally renowned lost cause of Zimbabwe.
Worse still, the political potential was zero. With Grace pulling the strings behind the old man, we all saw what was to come. Our hopeful history had become a pessimistic present. Our future looked formidably daunting.
But the new dispensation has changed all that. Despite legitimate complaints and real hardships, things are now different. We have a leader who lets us speak our minds, who encourages debate and free speech. He even writes to us on Facebook and Twitter – daily! We have a leader who is putting Zim back on the global stage, who is welcomed at the UN, and across the world from East to West. No longer are we just reliant on our all-weather friends.
ED has successfully taken the politics out of the economics. He has removed the party focused internally minded policies, to promote a nationwide Zimbabwe minded economic outlook. Both Finance Minister Ncube and the President are rightly receiving plaudits all around the world; from the Financial Times, to the halls of Congress. During these turbulent times of change, they both deserve our support.
Of course, there is a lot more work to do. Of course, we still suffer. But let us remember where we were. Let's remember just how bad things had become under the royal couple of Bob and Grace. We were heading off a cliff, and ED came in, put the brakes on, and saved us. We are luckily not in that place any more. We are in new reality. A reality whereby our economic wellbeing is put first, and politics, second.
So in this time of mass media and mass hysteria, I urge calm and patience, support and hope. The horizon is stabilizing. Sensible policy is here. And finally, despite some bumps in the road, Zimbabwe is moving in the right direction.
Source - Charles (student)
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