Zimbabwe turns sanctions crisis into success story

Zimbabwe is turning crises wrought by the illegal economic sanctions imposed by some Western nations into success stories through inward looking and using its God-given resources to lift its citizens into prosperity.

This is reflected in part by the story of resilience of the Catholic Church in Zimbabwe, which after having funds seized because of sanctions did not give up but looked inside Zimbabwe to mobilise resources and start a thriving farming business in Mvuma.

In his weekly column on the topic, "Resting our politics, development on God", President Mnangagwa said a few days back, he received an utterly lifting progress report from Driefontein Mission, which clearly shows that despite the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe the country has been resilient.

The President said the Catholic Church had embraced the mantra of "Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo", and had started applying it in the Church and as of last week, had planted over 200 hectares of wheat, under seven centre pivots with the planting of more hectarage underway.

"What is even more significant is that the funds the Church had mobilised for the project from well-wishers overseas but had been impounded by some Western country which has imposed sanctions on our country! They did not give up.

"The Church approached Government and, together, we worked out a funding package for the whole project. Now it has taken off, and is set to expand and scale-up in intervening seasons. In due course, the Church will stand on its own," he said.

The President said the Catholic Church story is the story of the economy and of the country.

"They say we should never waste a good crisis. As a nation, we have decided a bad crisis wrought by sanctions should be made good by us looking inward, and by us mobilising our own God-given resources.

"The lesson from Driefontein shows and demonstrates a lifting symbiosis between the three mantras we have coined for ourselves; and how, through them, we invent an enduring framework for a new partnership between the State and the Church. Both institutions, after all, serve the same person created in the image of God."

President Mnangagwa said through an investment vehicle the Catholic Church dubbed Stella Mundi, it has embarked on an ambitious agricultural and value-addition programme, which the church envisages will be rolled out to cover the whole country.

He said the Bishops, led by Archbishop Robert Ndlovu, have used the church farm at Driefontein to tease out this new concept.

President Mnangagwa also said prayers from the church and the richly endowed God given natural resources including the mineral sector will continue to fast track development for the country.

"Nyika Inotongwa, igovakwa nekunamatirwa nevene vayo!", has been the Second Republic's stance as the President always religiously emphasises that the relationship between the State and Church should remain inseparable.

The President said under his administration, Christianity has been the cornerstone of building the nation.

"We develop our country using God-given resources. Looking at mineral resources we have discovered and are exploiting since the Second Republic, there is no doubt our nation enjoys divine favour.

"From a paltry US$2,5 billion turnover in mining before this new dispensation, our mining sector is peeping at the US$20 billion-mark, in the five short years we have subsisted as the Second Republic. This is unprecedented," he said.

"We continue to discover more minerals, no doubt through divine guidance. The same salutary results show in most sectors, including in agriculture and in tourism. Both draw from our God-given resources, once more echoing the need to ensure we put God at the heart of our development."

The President said last week was a turning point in the enduring relationship with the church as he addressed congregants at the historic Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield.

"I told my God-fearing audience that our twin mantras of 'Nyika inotongwa nevene vayo' and 'Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo' were incomplete, and fell short of the Holy Trinity at the heart of the Church, namely, that of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

"To complete that Trinity, we needed something spiritual added. I then declared: ‘Nyika inonamatirwa nevene vayo!' This new mantra we have added to our other two mantras, to form a credo of the Second Republic, comes from the heart," he said.

President Mnagagwa added: "It is deeply held. All our politics, our policies and our programmes remain incomplete and unfulfilling until and unless we give them God."

The President said his meeting with regional church leaders accompanied by local clerics late last week, were meant to ensure that the country's politics are rooted in God.

"This is vital as our nation goes for polls. I continue to call on our church leaders to pray for peaceful elections before, during and after those elections.

"We should never tire of sermonising for peace in our land; indeed, praying for peace for our land; pray in our national languages and through our idioms, in our hearts and minds. God will hear us," he said.