Mnangagwa turns to Bible verses

ZIMBABWEANS have a collective duty to modernise, industrialise and grow the country's economy, which is now "on an irreversible economic growth trajectory", while the youth and women should take advantage of Government empowerment programmes, President Mnangagwa has said.

Addressing congregants attending the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe Harare District Cluster Easter celebrations at Jonasi Primary School in Seke, Chitungwiza, yesterday, the President said Zimbabwe continues to register significant progress in spite of the illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West.

The commemorations were held under the theme "The Lord of Revival and Restoration", which President Mnangagwa said resonated with the country's efforts to nurture sustained economic growth.

"It is our collective duty to modernise, industrialise and grow our economy across all provinces and districts. As people of Zimbabwe, the onus is on us to rebuild our cities and plough our land, produce the food we eat, manufacture the goods we use, the clothes we wear and all technologies we use in our communities and nation as a whole. God gave us our land and we must prosper here where he placed us, in his sovereign wisdom."

Interventions in the agriculture sector such as the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme, the winter wheat production scheme and the ongoing agriculture mechanisation and irrigation development programme have ensured national food security, he said.

"We are on an irreversible economic growth trajectory. My Government is grateful to the church for its continued prayers, which have seen favour and accelerated successes in programmes and projects implemented by the Second Republic. Additionally, investments in the energy sector, the repair and modernisation of our roads and ports of entry, as well as the construction of dams, are ongoing. The Almighty God is surely remembering Zimbabwe and repaying the years eaten away by the locust of illegal sanctions.

Standing on Joel 2 verse 26, our country will have plenty to eat and we will continually praise the name of the Lord our God, who has worked wonders for our great motherland. Indeed, all his wonders are glaringly evident across all sectors of the economy."

The devolution and decentralisation agenda, President Mnangagwa also said, has transformed local infrastructure and the social services landscape while upgrading the general outlook across districts.

"Zimbabwe is rising and the glory of the Lord has risen upon us. This is part of the people's victory, which is anchored in our faith, hard work and focus on results."

The President said, together in unity, Zimbabweans are being lifted out of poverty and into prosperity. "Indeed, through the Lord, our nation is being revived and restored."

In addition to exhorting the church and communities to scale up psycho-social support to children and youths to curb social vices such as drug and substance abuse, as well as bullying, President Mnangagwa also called for the need to continue preaching the "gospel of peace, unity and non-violence" across society, especially as the country prepares for the upcoming harmonised general elections.

The church was commended for spearheading developmental projects that are assisting communities across the country, and complementing Government efforts to provide social services to all corners of the country. This, he said, was helping with the accelerated realisation of targets set out in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1).

"I applaud the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe for the multi-disciplinary and sectoral projects being implemented across the country in the areas of health, education, humanitarian and social responsibility services, among others. The good educational work being done by the church at various mission schools such as Sandringham, Waddilove, Pakame and Matthew Rusike College, among others, is applauded.

These educational institutions are contributing towards the realisation of the human resource development targets we set for ourselves in the National Development Strategy. I exhort the church to ensure that greater focus is given to the teaching of agriculture science, technology and innovation, as well as information and communication technology-related subjects."

The disciplines, the President said, will help the country leapfrog development.

"I urge you to ensure that the church's education strategy aligns to the heritage-based Education 5.0 introduced by my Government. This is designed to provide our young talented boys and girls with opportunities and space to express their creativeness and innovation capacities. The church is assured of my Government's support towards the success of this initiative in the education sector, including the setting up of innovation hubs and industrial parks."

The President said it was pleasing that the church had a functional clinic in Epworth.

"The partnership between the Ministry of Health and Child Care and Isdell-Flowers in the eradication of malaria in Mudzi district is also applauded.

These are important building blocks towards ensuring that our communities have equal access to quality health services and the realisation of universal healthcare coverage."

The event was attended by Mashonaland East Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Aplonia Munzverengwi, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development Felix Mhona and Minister of Housing and Social Amenities Daniel Garwe, among other senior Government officials.