Zanu-PF finalising election manifesto

Zanu-PF is finalising its election manifesto which is expected to outline the country's trajectory, as Government aggressively pushes a re-engagement and economic development agenda.

President Mnangagwa recently indicated that Government planned to make Zimbabwe a middle income country by 2030.

Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa, who is part of the drafting committee, said in a recent interview that the manifesto, which will lay the foundation for the country's transformation, was being fine-tuned.

"The manifesto is currently work in progress," he said. "It is being done meticulously so that it responds to the people's aspirations.

Ambassador Mutsvangwa is also Special Advisor to the President.

"There is a document of our manifesto which seems to have impressed the Politburo recently," he said. "People like Jonathan (Moyo) thought they were the only ones who could craft a document with their Zim-Asset.

"This one will fit into our quest for a growing economy and a developing country."

The manifesto, said Ambassador Mutsvangwa, contained a roadmap towards meeting President Mnangagwa's vision for a Zimbabwe that is open for business.

"We want to create hope so that our unemployed youths know that there is a future," he said. "Young people were no longer marrying because of the environment. That is the height of a struggling economy.

"That is the worst condemnation that we can give the past administration of failing to give hope to our youths. There is new hope in this new dispensation. A lot of work is being put into the manifesto. I think you will have a manifesto which you will be proud of. It will respond to the aspirations of the people." Ambasssador Mutsvangwa said the review of the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act will give fillip to the country's economic growth efforts, as shown by the increase in inquiries from investors.

He said the forthcoming elections would be a watershed election due to the overwhelming number of people who will vote for Zanu-PF.

Ambassador Mutsvangwa said party members should heed President Mnangagwa's call to move away from sloganeering to focusing on economic issues.

He noted that the previous administration failed to create an enabling environment to harness the abundant local human resources.

"Our people are excelling all over the world, but because there was no capital for infrastructure development, that rich human resource base could not showcase their expertise," he said.

"This is where the previous administration of former President Mugabe failed dismally. He (former President Mugabe) did not want capital to flow into the country. If we do not have capital, we cannot construct bridges, factories, steel mills, dams and hydroelectric power stations.

"There is nothing that shows that we have the expertise as Zimbabwe. Our children leave for other countries which have capital."

Ambassador Mutsvangwa said the practice of normalising the abnormal, where educated people survived on menial jobs like selling airtime should come to an end.

The country, he said, was on an irreversible path to economic growth and development.