The Sunday Mail
The Sixth Zanu-PF National People’s Congress must formulate effective strategies to implement the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation, economists have said.
The Congress — themed “Accelerated Implementation of Zim-Asset” — must help stimulate business growth, attract FDI and create more jobs.
Former Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce president Mr Luxon Zembe said: “I think it was important (for the party) to stabilise the political environment first, so as to put that house in order. When the political environment is unstable, the economic (side) is also unstable.
“Now that the dust has settled, I believe Congress would have failed if it does not come up with ways to uplift people’s standards of living … We need our fair share of the international cake; and to do that we need to improve relations, even with the West, which has been hostile to us.”
Mr Brains Muchemwa said delegates should home in on employment-creation and minimising job losses.
“Congress should, more importantly, worry about rising corporate bankruptcies.
“Massive numbers of direct and indirect jobs are being lost and Government’s revenue base is dwindling due to de-industrialisation.
“It would, therefore, be important to focus energy on coming up with policies on both soft and hard infrastructure that counters this trend, more so now that small and medium enterprises are major casualties in the collapse of big corporates as they inadvertently constitute the bigger chunk of creditors on the balance sheets of delinquent corporates.”
Sadc Business Forum (Zimbabwe) chief executive Mr Kingstone Khanyile added: “The leaders have already struck the right chords by adopting a theme which focuses on the economy. We expect Congress to look at how we can increase investment.
“Congress should also look at ways of growing existing business so that companies on the market remain viable.”
Economic analyst Mr Trust Chikohora weighed in, saying: “Congress should clearly state that the ruling party is now focused on the economy to allay any fears of instability among investors.”
Government adopted Zim-Asset to guide economic development following years of Western sanctions, inefficiencies and corruption that have ravaged key sectors.
The blueprint’s priorities fall into four clusters: Food Security and Nutrition; Social Services and Poverty Eradication; Infrastructure and Utilities, and Value-Addition and Beneficiation.
