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Mnangagwa optimistic on Zimbabwe's 2026 economic outlook
2 hrs ago |
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President Emmerson Mnangagwa has expressed optimism about Zimbabwe's economic prospects this year, citing strong performances in agriculture, mining, and manufacturing as key drivers of growth. In an interview aired on ZBC News, the President highlighted favourable rains and healthy crop growth across the country, pointing to the potential for a bumper harvest.
"The outlook this year, of the season, is very good. The rainy season is very good and the cropping across the country is very good," President Mnangagwa said. "I am not receiving any complaints across the board from all the provinces. I think we are going to have a bumper harvest this year and it is very good for everybody. That is the basic thing which we need as a country, self-sufficiency in terms of food provision."
The President noted that economic indicators were positive across other sectors, with industry and mining operating without strikes, and sub-sectors showing expansion. He highlighted gold production, which rose by 17 percent last year to a record 46,7 tonnes, up from 36,48 tonnes in 2024, with the sector targeting 60 tonnes this year.
The manufacturing sector has also rebounded strongly since 2018, supported by a conducive investment climate, resulting in about 85 percent of locally produced goods occupying supermarket shelves. "New companies are coming to invest, heeding President Mnangagwa's ‘Zimbabwe is open for business' mantra," the President noted.
At the First Family's Pricabe Farm, which has become a regional model, President Mnangagwa emphasised learning from best practices to continuously improve agricultural output. "You learn from others. If I understand there is another farmer… who does better than what I do, I send Patrick (the farm manager) to go and find out why that person does better than us. Then we copy from that. So, always be able to learn, be able to go to the best for you to do better," he said.
On governance, President Mnangagwa praised performance-based contracts for senior Government officials, saying they have enhanced accountability and results-oriented leadership. "No minister now sits back because the results tell whether you are working or not working," he said, stressing that decisions on performance are guided by results rather than personal relationships.
Last year, Zimbabwe's economy grew by 6 percent, driven by agriculture, gold mining, and diaspora remittances, rebounding from a 1,7 percent growth in 2024 when the country was affected by the worst drought in 40 years across the SADC region. The economy is projected to grow by 5,5 percent this year, a slight decline attributed to external shocks and climate change.
President Mnangagwa's remarks underline the Government's confidence in the country's economic fundamentals, with emphasis on self-sufficiency in food production, industrial growth, and sustained investment in key sectors.\
"The outlook this year, of the season, is very good. The rainy season is very good and the cropping across the country is very good," President Mnangagwa said. "I am not receiving any complaints across the board from all the provinces. I think we are going to have a bumper harvest this year and it is very good for everybody. That is the basic thing which we need as a country, self-sufficiency in terms of food provision."
The President noted that economic indicators were positive across other sectors, with industry and mining operating without strikes, and sub-sectors showing expansion. He highlighted gold production, which rose by 17 percent last year to a record 46,7 tonnes, up from 36,48 tonnes in 2024, with the sector targeting 60 tonnes this year.
The manufacturing sector has also rebounded strongly since 2018, supported by a conducive investment climate, resulting in about 85 percent of locally produced goods occupying supermarket shelves. "New companies are coming to invest, heeding President Mnangagwa's ‘Zimbabwe is open for business' mantra," the President noted.
At the First Family's Pricabe Farm, which has become a regional model, President Mnangagwa emphasised learning from best practices to continuously improve agricultural output. "You learn from others. If I understand there is another farmer… who does better than what I do, I send Patrick (the farm manager) to go and find out why that person does better than us. Then we copy from that. So, always be able to learn, be able to go to the best for you to do better," he said.
On governance, President Mnangagwa praised performance-based contracts for senior Government officials, saying they have enhanced accountability and results-oriented leadership. "No minister now sits back because the results tell whether you are working or not working," he said, stressing that decisions on performance are guided by results rather than personal relationships.
Last year, Zimbabwe's economy grew by 6 percent, driven by agriculture, gold mining, and diaspora remittances, rebounding from a 1,7 percent growth in 2024 when the country was affected by the worst drought in 40 years across the SADC region. The economy is projected to grow by 5,5 percent this year, a slight decline attributed to external shocks and climate change.
President Mnangagwa's remarks underline the Government's confidence in the country's economic fundamentals, with emphasis on self-sufficiency in food production, industrial growth, and sustained investment in key sectors.\
Source - The Herald
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