In his opening
address at the first meeting of the 2025 Cabinet Year held at State House
yesterday, the President charged his team to prioritise outcomes that
positively affect the lives of the general citizenry.
All
Zimbabweans, including those in the diaspora, he added, should be well catered
for.
“At the outset,
all members are reminded of the need to once again recommit ourselves to the
duty of transforming livelihoods and developing our great nation towards the
achievement of Vision 2030.
“The mandate
before us is clear: we must deliver quality services to our citizens, ensuring
that their needs are met and lives improved.
“All our
collective efforts should be geared towards creating a better future for all,
leaving no one and no place behind. In this pursuit, it is critically important
to engage with our people, listening to their concerns and responding to their
needs.
“The culture of
accountability, transparency and excellence within our Ministries should be
nurtured with a greater sense of urgency for the ultimate objective of
achieving transformational results. You must lead by example.
“We must serve
all our people from across all the four corners of our country including those
in the diaspora” he said.
President
Mnangagwa reiterated that all Cabinet meetings must be attended without fail.
Where Ministers
fail to attend due to approved reasons, they should delegate authority to
Deputy Ministers and Permanent Secretaries, who should submit their Ministerial
positions thereat.
“In the same
vein, Cabinet Members should ensure that Permanent Secretaries attend Working
Party Meetings and brief them ahead of Cabinet Committee Meetings.
“As I stated at
the closing meeting of 2024 attendance at Cabinet Committee and Working Party
meetings will form part of the performance evaluation criteria.
“While members
are required to be abreast with programme implementation at the community level
through regular field visits, these should not disrupt and unduly affect
workflow in our provinces and districts,” he said.
The President
said he demanded boldness and decisiveness in the execution of Ministers’
duties.
“I urge all of
us to remain aware that ours is a selfless service to the people of our great
motherland Zimbabwe.
“I challenge us
to undertake our work with utmost humility, sacrifice and commitment. Cabinet
is run on the basis of collective responsibility; we must pull in one
direction. There is no room for lethargy, fence sitting and dragging of feet,”
he said.
Performance
contracting, said President Mnangagwa, remained a vital cog in the Second
Republic’s strategy to enhance service delivery and drive the attainment of
Vision 2030.
As such, he
announced that, Deputy Ministers must now also sign performance contracts as
part of Government’s endeavour to enhance accountability and efficiency.
“…this year
will see us strengthen our focus on measurable outcomes, timely execution of
policies, and responsiveness to the needs of our citizens.
“I have
directed that Deputy Ministers should also sign performance contracts as part
of our endeavour of accountability and efficiency.
“Every
Ministry, Department, and Agency must uphold the highest standards of
professionalism and servant leadership. Excellence is not an option; but a
guaranteed necessity to propel our national development agenda.
“Let us,
therefore, approach 2025 with renewed vigour, guided by our shared vision of
progress, prosperity, and people-centred governance,” said President Mnangagwa.
On the economic
growth front, the President said emphasis should be put towards ensuring that
business is not hindered by prohibitive regulations as well as punitive
administrative licenses and fees required by Ministries.
Fees, licences,
permits and regulations, he added, should instead promote economic development
and improve the livelihoods of Zimbabweans.
“To enhance the
overall performance of our economy, the Ease of Doing Business Agenda continues
to be an important aspect of our programming.
“In that
regard, concerted efforts must be made to revisit all the areas that hinder the
start or growth of all investments, whether local or foreign. I commend the
entrepreneurial spirit among our people. By nature, Zimbabweans are
hardworking,” he said. Herald
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