Mnangagwa returns from annual leave

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has officially resumed his duties after a month-long annual leave, with a clear focus on addressing Zimbabwe's economic growth and stability. Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mr George Charamba, confirmed the President's return yesterday, signaling that major decisions will be made regarding the country's economic trajectory.

Mr Charamba shared with The Herald that the President had taken a break from his leave last week to lead a key meeting on Zimbabwe's economic developments, which further underscored his commitment to tackling the country's economic challenges.

"The President is now officially back from his leave, and as you may know, there have been certain economic developments over the past few weeks. He had to break his leave last week to chair a meeting focused on economic developments in the country. Moving forward, the economy will be his major focus, and there will be significant decisions made in this regard," said Mr Charamba.

Last week, President Mnangagwa convened a meeting attended by Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, and State Security Minister Lovemore Matuke. They discussed the government's ongoing economic measures, focusing on specific sectors, including retail. The meeting also resulted in the announcement of new regulations aimed at enforcing compliance within the retail and wholesale sectors to curb the informal economy, which has been increasingly dominant in Zimbabwe.

On the regional front, President Mnangagwa, who is the current Chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), will continue to lead efforts in strengthening peace and security across the region. Last week, he chaired the Extraordinary SADC Summit in Harare, which focused on the deteriorating security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Both President Mnangagwa and East African Community (EAC) Chair, Kenyan President William Ruto, have agreed to convene a joint summit between the two regional blocs to address the escalating tensions in the DRC, underscoring Zimbabwe's role as a leader in regional diplomacy and peacekeeping efforts.

Although on leave, President Mnangagwa demonstrated his hands-on leadership by attending to key duties. In addition to leading the crucial economic meeting and the SADC summit, the President also oversaw other important matters. He saw off students benefiting from an Algerian scholarship program, hosted a monumental tour of the First Family's Pricabe Farm in Kwekwe, which brought together both Zanu-PF and CCC MPs, and commemorated the late former Vice President John Landa Nkomo. These activities reflect the President's ongoing engagement with both national and international matters, even during his time off.

In his final Cabinet meeting of 2024, President Mnangagwa reiterated his commitment to continued service delivery in 2025. He emphasized that the government's efforts would remain focused on meeting the demands of the people, stating, "The service delivery demands of the people of Zimbabwe must be responded to timely. After all, we are a Government by the people and for the people."

With the President back at the helm, Zimbabwe's government is set to intensify its efforts to address economic challenges, improve service delivery, and continue playing a leading role in regional peace and stability.