Mr President here are the key drivers of the economy

You don't have to wait for appointment for you to bring development to your country. Whatever you have on your hands it is good to share so that our country will be in a better position to develop. For the past 37 years our country was going through rough patches and it is high time all Zimbabweans should come together and build our country using economic sound development policies. Our country needs sacrifice of ideas so that we can be able to deliver positive ideas and achieve positive growth. It is not easy to turn around the economy within seven months it will take nearly 5 years to bring sanity in our economy, but off course the current Government will implement few reforms that will usher our country in the positive mood.

Re-engagement With International Partners

Our name has been dented in the past, citing areas of corruption and other grey areas. It is important for the President to take note of the issue of re- engagement. The President is supposed to use proper language with potential investors, no need to use harsh tone when addressing foreign investors. The very big mistake Mugabe made was to attack potential investors and super powers of this world such as USA, EU and Britain. Hostile language is not good and conducive for investment. It is important for the Government to re- consider the issue of re-engagement with multi – international partners for the benefit of our country. It is important to humble ourselves before them; it is us who are in need of foreign direct investment. It is also critical to use business language when courting investors. Most of these soldiers and war veterans in rural areas they attack people, white farmers forgetting that the outside world is watching. In fact what we should understand and take note is that Zimbabwe is under spot light, investors have adopted the wait and see approach, until they are satisfied with meaningful reforms, they will never pour in money for investments. It is important to court everyone, but we have to be careful Mr. President our country in the past has been duped with bogus investors who took advantage of our desperate country because of leakages and other loopholes they duped us. There is no need to carry cadres, activists when going for international engagements they will spoil everything for us. It is important for the President to carry with him business people, potential leaders and other key people for turning around the economy.

Consultation Before Implementation of Key Economic Decisions

I would suggest that there should be a economic advisory council of Zimbabwe. This council should be responsible for coming up with key economic decisions which should benefit the whole country. Look into legal issues, economic issues, what does benefit from whatever deals we are signing. It is very important to take note of economic interests. It is important to have such a board with the likes of Eddie Cross, James Manyika, Shingai Mutasa, Joe Mutizwa, James Makamba, Pindi Nyandoro, Calisto Jokonya, Chipo Mtasa, Strive Masiyiwa, Grace Muradzikwa, Herbert Nkala, Shingi Munyeza, Tawanda Nyambirai etc. we need these people in that council so that our country will not lose to bogus investors. Mr. President you must invest and put value in people who can deliver. Never make a mistake of wasting your time on things that will not bring any positive growth to our economy. It is important to engage civic society, academics, business community, individuals and other stakeholders in bringing positive ideas. I was suggesting that Mr. President why can't you call for an all stakeholder's conference and engage civic leaders and opposition and get their ideas for implementation of a critical economic recovery plan.

Re-Direction of Expenditure

I'm glad that Minister Chinamasa pointed out in his budget statement that he flushed out more than 3500 people from the state payroll, who were known as ghost workers in the past, these ghost workers were milking the state of more than 1.7 million. I still believe and trust Mr. President there could be more ghost workers on the wage bill and I would suggest that may you direct a civil service audit in order to remove more ghost workers who were milking the state coffers. Instead of having too many rallies, those resources can be channeled towards the healthy sector which is very critical, tourism, production sector, mining, and agriculture and infrastructure development. It is important that instead of ministers receiving more than 3 cars per individual we can have single vehicle per minister renewable for five years.

Engage Investors With Caution

Most countries, individuals will take advantage of our situation to loot our resources. It is painful as I pen this article that we lost billions of dollars through bogus investors during the diamond era in Chiadzwa. We engaged in several crooks that were not genuine in their dealings. Before any deals are signed Mr. President we must know as a nation the procedures, outcomes, implications in every deal, nature of deals, legal connotations, accountability, and what will Zimbabwe benefit from these deals? Mugabe signed several mega deals nobody knows the nature of these deals and till date these deals were never disclosed to the public. There is also need to take into account that those investors should absorb the local work force, we have so many graduates in the streets selling airtime, and so it is important that when having such initiatives it is important to consider the job scarcity of our country.

External and Internal Debt

Nobody knows how much we owe other countries, institutuions and foreign investors. We don't even know the nature of our debts. My question is are we not going to mortgage our country to other people or nations? In future we may find ourselves in difficult positions after realizing that our country has been mortgaged to other countries and super powers like China and Britain. It is important for you Mr. President to address the nation on the nature of our debts. How much do we owe who and why? When did we borrow the money? What was it used for? What is the repayment plan and this will help the country to build strong financial accountability systems. As we speak we have that Brazil Agriculture scheme we don't even know who benefitted but mostly Grace Mugabe and her G40 cabal benefitted using their factional agenda.

Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo writes in his personal capacity as the head of Southern Institute of Policy Analysis and Research – SIPAR TRUST, which is responsible for policy analysis and research. He is also an academic and researcher. He holds a BA, MA from Solusi University, and he also holds a Masters of Development Studies from University of Lusaka, Zambia. He is currently enrolled at University of KwaZulu Natal University in South Africa (PhD in Development Studies). He is also an advisor to many financial and political institutions within and outside Zimbabwe. He can be contacted at southerninstitutepar@gmail.com.