By A Correspondent
CHINHOYI – The Mnangagwa regime’s endless posturing around so-called “nation building” continues, as government officials gathered in Chinhoyi this week for yet another round of back-patting and hollow rhetoric under the National Development Strategy One (NDS1) banner.
Provincial heads in Mashonaland West convened to parade limited successes while brushing aside the deep-rooted systemic failures plaguing sectors like health and agriculture. Despite Zimbabwe’s crumbling infrastructure and worsening socio-economic conditions, the regime insists on selling a narrative of progress.
One of the “key achievements” trumpeted during the meeting was the marginal surpassing of a wheat production target — a feat officials quickly admitted could have been much better if government systems weren’t plagued by inefficiencies.
“Our concern, however, is on the late disbursement of PIP inputs,” said Mashonaland West Provincial Agritex Officer, Mrs Evelyn Ndoro. “If these were given on time, we could easily surpass our average target yield of 5.5 tonnes per hectare. Now, we’re merely hoping for 5.2.”
This admission lays bare the persistent bureaucratic bungling that continues to stifle the agriculture sector — a critical pillar of Zimbabwe’s economy. Meanwhile, the province’s tobacco sector also seems to be running on autopilot, propped up by private contractors more than government competence.
“Tobacco marketing is ongoing, with 19 contractors buying tobacco in the past week. But 23 percent of the planted area still has stalks standing,” Ndoro said, revealing another case of poor follow-through in what should be a tightly managed process.
But perhaps the most damning revelation came from the health sector, where preventable deaths from malaria continue to mount under the government’s watch.
“Since January, the province has recorded over 23,000 cumulative cases and 75 deaths,” said Provincial Medical Director Dr Celestino Dhege. “Makonde leads with 28 deaths, followed by Hurungwe with 22.”
Despite the staggering numbers, the response is still heavy on pamphlets and radio shows rather than concrete medical support. “Risk communication and community engagement activities are ongoing,” Dr Dhege added — a far cry from effective, hands-on intervention.
In a typical show of top-down micromanagement masked as leadership, Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Marian Chombo, took the opportunity to call for more meetings and paperwork.
“These meetings provide an excellent opportunity to discuss ongoing projects,” she said. “I urge all provincial heads to take full responsibility for their roles. Delegating issues that require your direct attention to juniors weakens our collective decision-making.”
The regime’s love affair with endless conferences, reports, and slogans continues, while on the ground, Zimbabweans struggle with high food prices, failing hospitals, and a broken economy.
As critics note, the hullabaloo around “Vision 2030” and “NDS1” is more about optics than impact. Behind the staged meetings and carefully curated soundbites, real progress remains as elusive as ever under the Mnangagwa administration.