Dr Masimba Mavaza | The 18th Zanu-PF Annual National People’s Conference in Goromonzi closed after a week of intensive and fruitful deliberations.
Participants should be congratulated, especially those who prepared presentations at short notice and those who attended for the party, not for their pockets.
It should be stressed that all conference deliberations, no matter how brilliant, will remain paper unless efforts are made to implement them.
Therefore, it is critical for all the relevant authorities to stay fully engaged and support policies and resolutions conference has come up with. In my view, discussions around priority areas of action were fruitful.
Here, I highlight some key points.
Productive capacity, as the main focus of the country, needs to be given high priority not only by agencies whose core mandate is closely related to the enhancement of such capacity but also by all other stakeholders.
It was encouraging to hear that many departments and organisations already have made commitments to streamline imports and prioritise local production.
With respect to the inclusion of issues relevant to production in domestic forums, it is important that the ministerial meeting on agriculture has already included concerns and contributions to action regarding productive capacity, which will, hopefully, be replicated going forward.
But this is only going to happen if Government, especially its relevant departments, stays on that path. The conference endorsed as a resolution that The Party is above government. The party controls directs and is above government. Government ministers at selected from a pool of competent elected representatives. In that spirit the party forms the government of the day So the government being a creation of the party must not lead the party. The party must take the leading role. in order to serve the electorate the government must deliver so the party must supervise the government. the government must therefore serve the party over and above all.
Being that as it may it becomes easier for the party resolutions to be implemented by the government to the best interest of the people.
Minister Mthuli announced the end of the austerity measures.
The Zimbabwean government austerity programme is a fiscal policy adopted in 2018 in the new dispensation. it is a deficit reduction programme consisting of sustained reductions in public spending and tax rises, intended to reduce the government budget deficit and the role of the welfare state.
The effects of austerity policies have proved controversial and the policies have received criticism from a variety of politicians and economists. This affected the progress of the Roadworks and variety of infrustructural developments. We also heard that major work with respect to the Harare-Masvingo Road did not start in March 2017 as promised in Masvingo Conference.
Broader market access and economic growth has been made despite global crises. Zimbabwe is expected to have an economic boom as austerity measures are now yielding fruits.
We need to intensify our efforts in these and other areas, and implement conference resolutions in order to attain such ambitious objectives.
It is also very clear that implementation of conference resolutions is closely linked to economic processes, and so is good governance at all levels, which facilitates implementation of economic policy. The minister for Implementation cde Joram Gumbo must now use his Gumbo to hit the ground running. implementing is an armchair task which need a chair with wheels.
Thus issues related to good governance were highlighted not only in the dedicated session, but are also relevant in all other priority areas for action. More so that the party is above government.
Sharing experiences and lessons learned was mentioned throughout the week.
This is a crucial part of meaningful implementation, follow-up and monitoring of the economy, and should be done more intensively at all levels.
Corruption has been declared an enemy of the state.
With a view to ensuring full engagement of all stakeholders, Zanu-PF discussed a comprehensive roadmap for implementation, follow-up and monitoring of the action programme regarding corruption and cash shortages. Mainstreaming the economy to suit national development strategies is one of the most urgent tasks at hand. The party needs full support in this respect.
Building on the country experiences, the implementation and follow-up component needs to be strengthened, involving all relevant structures.
Establishment of a working group on the indicators to monitor the implementation of the objectives, goals and targets of the party is also necessary.
With respect to monitoring and evaluation, a more inclusive and participatory process, coordinated by the Office of the President, with substantive input from the whole system and beyond, is needed. The President called on agencies to have focal points, and the party was supposed to set a list of sustainable deliverables.
This would have also been a useful instrument for monitoring, at different levels.
Specific follow-up measures, which include establishing a taskforce to work on the terms of reference for the joint gap and capacity analysis with the aim of setting up a workable live economy, would have been achieved.
In addition, the party also needs to keep the momentum of engaging all stakeholder groups.
It is important that conference resolutions be implemented so that we achieve that much-needed economic turnaround.
Conference should not be a mere event but a proper barometer of our work.
The survival of the party must justify the calling of a next conference. After the conference, something must be seen to be happening.
A complete turn and good fortune must be witnessed.
A conference must yield fruits and must be a focal point of progress.
The way forward should be to walk the talk and reach the destination.
The lies of “a dying economy” should be viewed with scorn.
A total turnaround should be seen after conference. That’s the way to go.
The conference witnessed first hand that there is no infighting in the presidium. Both Vice Presidents confirmed their allegiance to the President and showed that they work towards one goal of retaining ED in Office. There is a unity of purpose within the party and the need to disregard the fake news meant on causing disunity within the party.
Since the party is above the government the conference becomes supreme to the government and the conference is set to be the supervisory meeting scrutinising the workings of the government.
As we now roll into the New year we pray that all the resolutions be implemented.