Opinion / Columnist
ED is leading us away from Pharoah and towards the Promised Land
23 Jun 2018 at 13:04hrs | Views
The new Zimbabwe that everyone talks about is surely upon us. We see signs of it all around.
Even if we have yet to reach the Promised Land, it is clear that we have left the bondage of Egypt long behind and are pointed in the right direction.
In the Biblical story of the Exodus, Moses was not only a loyal Egyptian he was treated like Pharoah's son and closest advisor. However, when he saw injustice he acted and turned against the Pharoah, and led the people out from slavery to Canaan.
So too, Emmerson Mnangagwa sat alongside Robert Mugabe until he could no longer stand to see the suffering.
ED has now ousted the Pharoah and we are on our way.
Although many of us are now taking our new reality for granted, it is astonishing to witness how far we have come in just a few months. Things are changing every day.
The police roadblocks are off our streets, we are no longer an isolated and despised nation and foreign investment is streaming in to build infrastructure and create jobs.
ED has taken a policy to reverse the actions that Mugabe took to hamper Zimbabwe's development.
Even more so, ED has rectified some of the injustices as well.
The Government yesterday handed over $5 million for the revitalisation of the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Trust as President Mnangagwa's administration fleshes out empowerment projects to ensure ordinary people benefit from diamond proceeds.
In 2012, diamond mining companies operating in Chiadzwa, Manicaland, pledged $50 million towards the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Trust, but released only $500 000.
Some of the firms, under the supervision of the then Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Mr Saviour Kasukuwere presented dummy cheques to former President Robert Mugabe, while others feigned ignorance of the scheme.
President Mnangagwa yesterday moved in to partly honour the pledge, availing a $5 million cheque to the community empowerment fund through the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC), a firm wholly-owned by the Government.
ED said the fund previously suffered setbacks, but the new impetus would ensure sustainable economic development in Marange and Zimunya.
"This noble initiative by the State mining company will complement Government's efforts to build developed and progressive communities as we continue with our quest for inclusive growth and broad-based empowerment under the present national development agenda," he said.
"As highlighted in Vision 2030, my Government remains committed to broad-based empowerment through multi-faceted strategies, including community share ownership trusts.
"To this end, I urge all companies to intensify community development programmes so that communities benefit from the natural resource endowments in their environment.
"This will spur rural development and undoubtedly contribute to the development of strong rural and provincial economies, further resulting in the widespread improvement of the standard of living of our people throughout the country."
Companies, President Mnangagwa said, should have "harmonious and mutually" beneficial working relationship with communities in their areas of operation.
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step," he said.
"Government is pleased with the revitalisation of the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust as the company has committed to pay reasonable dividend into the trust annually. It is our fervent hope that through this vehicle, some of the developmental needs of these communities will be addressed, further impacting on Manicaland as a whole."
President Mnangagwa said diamonds were a national resource whose proceeds must benefit everyone.
On behalf of the Trust, Chief Zimunya said: "We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for facilitating that we receive the money. You have done a good job within the few months that you have been in office. We want to assure you that as a Trust we shall ensure the money is used to implement development projects to benefit the entire community. You have led the country with wisdom; we now have peace and development. As such we will support you all the way."
"You (President Mnangagwa) have moved to correct this injustice, much to the delight of Manicaland province. In a short period of time, you have swiftly moved in to deliver on the promises made to the Trust and we shall manage this fund and improve our infrastructure in Manicaland."
ED is correcting injustices all over the country, and finally we are on our way to Canaan led by our Moses with Pharoah being vanquished.
Even if we have yet to reach the Promised Land, it is clear that we have left the bondage of Egypt long behind and are pointed in the right direction.
In the Biblical story of the Exodus, Moses was not only a loyal Egyptian he was treated like Pharoah's son and closest advisor. However, when he saw injustice he acted and turned against the Pharoah, and led the people out from slavery to Canaan.
So too, Emmerson Mnangagwa sat alongside Robert Mugabe until he could no longer stand to see the suffering.
ED has now ousted the Pharoah and we are on our way.
Although many of us are now taking our new reality for granted, it is astonishing to witness how far we have come in just a few months. Things are changing every day.
The police roadblocks are off our streets, we are no longer an isolated and despised nation and foreign investment is streaming in to build infrastructure and create jobs.
ED has taken a policy to reverse the actions that Mugabe took to hamper Zimbabwe's development.
Even more so, ED has rectified some of the injustices as well.
The Government yesterday handed over $5 million for the revitalisation of the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Trust as President Mnangagwa's administration fleshes out empowerment projects to ensure ordinary people benefit from diamond proceeds.
In 2012, diamond mining companies operating in Chiadzwa, Manicaland, pledged $50 million towards the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Trust, but released only $500 000.
Some of the firms, under the supervision of the then Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Mr Saviour Kasukuwere presented dummy cheques to former President Robert Mugabe, while others feigned ignorance of the scheme.
President Mnangagwa yesterday moved in to partly honour the pledge, availing a $5 million cheque to the community empowerment fund through the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC), a firm wholly-owned by the Government.
ED said the fund previously suffered setbacks, but the new impetus would ensure sustainable economic development in Marange and Zimunya.
"This noble initiative by the State mining company will complement Government's efforts to build developed and progressive communities as we continue with our quest for inclusive growth and broad-based empowerment under the present national development agenda," he said.
"As highlighted in Vision 2030, my Government remains committed to broad-based empowerment through multi-faceted strategies, including community share ownership trusts.
"To this end, I urge all companies to intensify community development programmes so that communities benefit from the natural resource endowments in their environment.
"This will spur rural development and undoubtedly contribute to the development of strong rural and provincial economies, further resulting in the widespread improvement of the standard of living of our people throughout the country."
Companies, President Mnangagwa said, should have "harmonious and mutually" beneficial working relationship with communities in their areas of operation.
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step," he said.
"Government is pleased with the revitalisation of the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust as the company has committed to pay reasonable dividend into the trust annually. It is our fervent hope that through this vehicle, some of the developmental needs of these communities will be addressed, further impacting on Manicaland as a whole."
President Mnangagwa said diamonds were a national resource whose proceeds must benefit everyone.
On behalf of the Trust, Chief Zimunya said: "We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for facilitating that we receive the money. You have done a good job within the few months that you have been in office. We want to assure you that as a Trust we shall ensure the money is used to implement development projects to benefit the entire community. You have led the country with wisdom; we now have peace and development. As such we will support you all the way."
"You (President Mnangagwa) have moved to correct this injustice, much to the delight of Manicaland province. In a short period of time, you have swiftly moved in to deliver on the promises made to the Trust and we shall manage this fund and improve our infrastructure in Manicaland."
ED is correcting injustices all over the country, and finally we are on our way to Canaan led by our Moses with Pharoah being vanquished.
Source - Joice Tsitsi
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