President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reassured the nation that
the current “tough” environment is transitory as the ongoing economic reforms
are “laying the foundation for long-term growth and prosperity”.
He said his main mission is to reform the country’s
institutions, legislation and mind-sets, especially those that resist new
ideas.
In a statement made during his maiden live radio programme,
which was broadcast by Harare-based Capitalk 100.4FM on Friday, President
Mnangagwa cautioned that reforms, however, bring about “short-term upheaval
that causes pain and suffering”.
“Minister of Finance (Mthuli) Ncube has gone about
reforming the very basis of our economy, returning us to a budget surplus and
laying the foundations for long-term growth and prosperity. Yes, today is
tough. But tomorrow is looking brighter and brighter,” said the President.
“We are opening Zimbabwe up to investment, building a new
and mutually beneficial relationship with nations and businesses of the world.
“And we are repealing Posa and Aippa, two pieces of
legislation that have been heavily criticised, symbols of the old Zimbabwe,” he
said.
Reforms, he added, are incredibly difficult since they
involve making painful sacrifices.
Government’s determination to establish a new way of doing
things would not be derailed by those who feel threatened by the ongoing
changes.
“The process of reform is not an easy one. It involves
sacrifices from us all, and brings about short-term upheaval that causes pain
and suffering. There will also always be those who are wedded to the old ways,
and who do not want to see change. Those who are threatened by the new, open
Zimbabwe we are building.
“But we cannot allow those voices to stifle our progress.
We cannot allow those who benefited from how things were to stop Zimbabwe from
changing.”
Most of the challenges that the country is grappling with,
President Mnangagwa said, are the result of the old administration’s
inclination to resist new ideas and new developments.
“For too long, our country has been held back by the old
ways of doing things. In our society. Our politics. Our economy. Our Culture.
“New ideas have been resisted, new developments rejected.
The results of this are the economic challenges we see and experience every
day,” he said.
In order to achieve the planned upper middle-income economy
by 2030, President Mnangagwa said he was wholly committed to the onerous task
of reforming Zimbabwe.
“The process is tough, but I promise you it is worth it. “We will reform Zimbabwe together. We will fulfil our
potential. We will build our new Zimbabwe for all.” Sunday Mail
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