Mnangagwa launches book on Zimbabwe's economic revival

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has underscored his administration's commitment to pragmatism, inclusivity, and citizen-centric governance as the foundation of Zimbabwe's economic revival in a new 262-page book, "Standing Against Illegal Sanctions." The book was launched on Saturday at the Museum of African Liberation Village during SADC Anti-Sanctions Day commemorations.

Edited by Dr Richard Mahomva, director of International Communication Services in the Ministry of Information, alongside Professor Paul Mapfumo and Mr Tawanda Zinyama, the publication chronicles the transformative journey of the Second Republic, detailing how Zimbabwe has repositioned itself on the global stage through pragmatic policies, progressive diplomacy, and people-oriented governance.

The book highlights President Mnangagwa's 2017 mantra, "Zimbabwe is Open for Business," as a symbolic and practical departure from years of economic decline and international isolation. Chapter 13, titled "Zimbabwe's Second Republic: A Dispensation of Pragmatism, Inclusivity, and Citizen-Centric Approaches," underscores the shift in domestic and foreign policy under his leadership.

"President Mnangagwa's epoch-defining clarion call, ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business,' marked the end of the country's nearly two-decade-long isolationist foreign policy trajectory. This pragmatic engagement with all friendly nations has repositioned Zimbabwe as a partner of choice in Africa and beyond," the book states.

Before the Second Republic, Zimbabwe endured nearly 20 years of international sanctions, largely in response to the Fast-Track Land Reform Programme, which redistributed land from 4 500 white commercial farmers to over 360 000 indigenous households. The sanctions contributed to economic hardship, high inflation, and limited access to global financial systems.

The publication identifies four pillars guiding the Mnangagwa administration: pragmatism, inclusivity, citizen-centric governance, and African Humanism. These principles have driven the National Development Strategy 1, laying the groundwork for Vision 2030, which aims to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy.

"By prioritising self-determination and good governance, the Second Republic has humanised power and made Government a servant of the people, not a master," the book notes.

Under the President's stewardship, Zimbabwe has seen steady economic growth, with significant progress in agriculture, mining, and infrastructure. Mechanisation and climate-proofing have revitalised agriculture, while infrastructure and energy expansion projects have attracted billions in Foreign Direct Investment.

The book further highlights President Mnangagwa's philosophy of inclusivity: "Nyika Inovakwa neVene Vayo / Ilizwe Lakhiwa Ngabanikazi Balo" – "A nation is built by its own people" – and the principle of leaving no one and no place behind, which has become a rallying call for development across all provinces.