Opinion / Columnist
7 months and a new reality
10 Jul 2018 at 11:20hrs | Views
Yesterday I saw the new advertisement for the president's campaign on his Facebook page. I must admit it gave me goosebumps. I know, I know, that is what is supposed to do, but I can't help but feel that the message was so strong and true; we are in a new Zimbabwe. Things are changing.
While an economy of course does not simply take off overnight, there are real changes on the ground we all can feel. Real freedoms have taken hold. We can say what we want, tweet what we want. We can debate politics, criticise the president on his own Facebook page!
His zero-tolerance policy for corruption is already seeping down throughout the populace. Police bribes and checkpoints have all but disappeared under the so called new dispensation!
We also have a leader who is a non-stop doer. A worker. Rumour has it he sleeps less than 5 hours a night, works on the weekend and sometimes goes straight from Church to the office on a Sunday!
We are seeing the results on the ground.
Deal after deal is being signed with world powers, regional powers and investors. We have over 15 billion dollars of projects committed to, which will create hundreds of thousands of jobs for us, the people of Zimbabwe. We also should not forget that already 60,000 jobs have been created, in just 7 months, this is unprecedent.
Every day there are more achievements. Just yesterday, Zimbabwe and Zambia agreed on principles for a $4.5 billion Batoka Gorge Hydro Electricity project on the Zambezi river. This will reportedly create yet another 6,000 jobs and 1,600 megawatts, crucially keeping the lights on for Zimbabwean businesses, industries and families across the country.
The president also launched the $1.5 billion Hwange Power Station Unit 7 and 8 construction project two weeks ago. This is set to add another 600 megawatts to the national grid. At this rate, the new Zimbabwe will reach its ambitious goal of producing surplus power in just five years.
At the same time, Government has been rehabilitating roads and bridges destroyed by Cyclone Dineo in 2017. No more messing around with red tape and excuses! This Emergency Road Fund is finally being put into action, while the Department of Roads has been given a new lease of life under the new dispensation.
It was reported yesterday that funding for 2018 road projects had jumped from last year's $1.8 million to $21 million. That is not just a new era, that is a new universe!
To emphasise just how quickly things are moving, Mashonaland West provincial roads engineer Finale Mapurisa told the Herald yesterday that the 9km stretch before the Norton tollgate (Harare-Gweru Road dualisation project) was the "fastest" road construction project in the history of the country.
At the same time, we see the president investing in the youth. New courses and investment in education, high-tech hubs and incubators, new jobs and just this week he launched his Empowerbank. The youth bank will start with 12 million US dollars ready to support young Zimbabwean entrepreneur's and businesses.
This is in addition to the Women's micro-finance bank set up recently, the first of its kind in Southern Africa! Forward forward forward. We are finally moving in the right direction.
As the president likes to say, Rome was not built in a day. But in the space of just 7 months, we have made a good start!
While an economy of course does not simply take off overnight, there are real changes on the ground we all can feel. Real freedoms have taken hold. We can say what we want, tweet what we want. We can debate politics, criticise the president on his own Facebook page!
His zero-tolerance policy for corruption is already seeping down throughout the populace. Police bribes and checkpoints have all but disappeared under the so called new dispensation!
We also have a leader who is a non-stop doer. A worker. Rumour has it he sleeps less than 5 hours a night, works on the weekend and sometimes goes straight from Church to the office on a Sunday!
We are seeing the results on the ground.
Deal after deal is being signed with world powers, regional powers and investors. We have over 15 billion dollars of projects committed to, which will create hundreds of thousands of jobs for us, the people of Zimbabwe. We also should not forget that already 60,000 jobs have been created, in just 7 months, this is unprecedent.
Every day there are more achievements. Just yesterday, Zimbabwe and Zambia agreed on principles for a $4.5 billion Batoka Gorge Hydro Electricity project on the Zambezi river. This will reportedly create yet another 6,000 jobs and 1,600 megawatts, crucially keeping the lights on for Zimbabwean businesses, industries and families across the country.
The president also launched the $1.5 billion Hwange Power Station Unit 7 and 8 construction project two weeks ago. This is set to add another 600 megawatts to the national grid. At this rate, the new Zimbabwe will reach its ambitious goal of producing surplus power in just five years.
At the same time, Government has been rehabilitating roads and bridges destroyed by Cyclone Dineo in 2017. No more messing around with red tape and excuses! This Emergency Road Fund is finally being put into action, while the Department of Roads has been given a new lease of life under the new dispensation.
It was reported yesterday that funding for 2018 road projects had jumped from last year's $1.8 million to $21 million. That is not just a new era, that is a new universe!
To emphasise just how quickly things are moving, Mashonaland West provincial roads engineer Finale Mapurisa told the Herald yesterday that the 9km stretch before the Norton tollgate (Harare-Gweru Road dualisation project) was the "fastest" road construction project in the history of the country.
At the same time, we see the president investing in the youth. New courses and investment in education, high-tech hubs and incubators, new jobs and just this week he launched his Empowerbank. The youth bank will start with 12 million US dollars ready to support young Zimbabwean entrepreneur's and businesses.
This is in addition to the Women's micro-finance bank set up recently, the first of its kind in Southern Africa! Forward forward forward. We are finally moving in the right direction.
As the president likes to say, Rome was not built in a day. But in the space of just 7 months, we have made a good start!
Source - Joice Tsitsi
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