The Sunday Mail
Victoria Ruzvidzo
A few days ago I had the pleasure and privilege to attend the Zimbabwe Chief Executive Officers’ Network awards dinner held in the capital to celebrate women and men who have distinguished themselves in selected sectors of the economy.
The function was marked by pomp and fanfare as award winners and their friends and family celebrated the achievements made. The atmosphere was electric.
The occasion got me thinking long and hard. It put into perspective the already established fact that Zimbabwe is endowed with a highly skilled and knowledgeable human capital base and has all the resources needed to put up a formidable fight against any vagaries that confront us today.
Covid-19, power shortages and the effects of climate change continue to linger over our heads today but this country has the wherewithal to diminish their effect as demonstrated by results so far.
While the challenges are real, the country has the capacity to reduce or eliminate the effects if we dig deeper into our reserves as a people and as a country. Solutions to all these challenges (notice that we call them challenges and not problems because the latter has the effect of complicating a situation and inducing hopelessness while the former summons energy to resolve them.)
Over the last few days some analysts and commentators have bemoaned the load shedding introduced by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company following generator failures at Hwange and Kariba.
They fear this will have the effect of reversing some of the economic gains that Zimbabwe is currently enjoying. But the good news is that one of the boiler-turbine-generator units at Hwange is back up while the Kariba generator number 1 which has been under its annual maintenance routine will be back before the end of this week.
All these challenges have solutions. All we need to do is dig deeper within ourselves.
We need not relent in the pursuit of fashioning the future we desire.
As indicated earlier, Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular has a rich human capital capable of finding solutions to challenges.
It all starts with acquiring the right mind-set which will ultimately impact on our ethos. Whoever was crying themselves hoarse because of the load-shedding just need to dig deeper and realise solutions can be found through expediting repairs, importing more power or investing in alternative energy such as solar or gas.
The genesis of any pursuit emanates from the right mind-set. Things appear possible or impossible depending on one’s mind-set. Is the glass half full or half empty?
R Kelly sang a song ‘l believe l can fly’ in which he categorically states that if l can see it, then l can do it.
We need to summon our true identity and believe in our capabilities.
To know that if we individually and collectively work towards our aspirations, with focus and unbending beliefs, we will arrive.
The right mind-set will not be bothered by some social media fanatics who most times choose not to see the good but focus on compounding a situation. This is the kind of myopia that limits possibilities.
We will achieve much if we seize the bull by the horns, apply resolute endurance and unbending direction in our fight. Through this we will win the fight under any circumstances. The V11s are there for all to see in the economy. So much has been achieved in such a short space of time. Such tenacity is what we need as a country.
As we do that, we take into account practical realities on the ground which will inform strategies. We cannot turn a blind eye to challenges or mistakes we have made that need redress but we interrogate these and redress the situation.
We have technology-mediated changes, we incorporate them in our systems and where necessary, calibrate them to suit our own peculiar circumstances.
Digital is about unlocking value in the immediacy, using data to inform better decisions, reaching previously unimaginable markets.
We need to dig into our strategic reserves.
“There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns-the ones we don’t know we don’t know.’’ These words were uttered by US former Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld.
They underline the importance of strategy and concomitant risk management.
In fact there are basically three types of strategy that we can implement as we dig deeper: prescriptive approach (preconceived and inflexible), fluid approach (strategies on the go) and then the hybrid approach which is a combination of the two aforementioned.
We apply what best suits our circumstances to consolidate our staying power as a nation.
No one is promising a smooth process to prosperity but if we dig deeper the results will not be disappointing.
We need to inculcate in our business sector, the youths, women, SMEs and others the need for dynamism, agility and robustness, in keeping with the ever changing circumstances. This will enable us to ride the storm and stem tides.
Our objectives should be clear, our human capital should apply analytical tools, issues-solving abilities and management skills.
All these can be stimulated, nurtured and consolidated only if we dig deeper as we search for solutions. We saw many being rewarded as the Zimbabwe CEOs awards dinner for possessing these attributes and making a difference in our country.
We need to do environmental scanning as we explore new horizons, identifying and interpreting opportunities in the environment. All sectors of this economy, including agriculture and mining have abundant opportunities, many of which are yet to be tapped.
Look at the way the Pfumvudza farming concept has revolutionised agriculture in this country in such a short space of time. If we dig deeper we will come up with other such concepts that will bring the 2030 vision of an upper middle income economy even much earlier.
Mbuya Sarah Gogode of Matika Village in Zimunya assesses the status of her maize crop under Pfumvudza last week on Thursday.-Picture : Tinai Nyadzayo
In the literal sense, if we dig deeper in the mining sector we will find huge mineral deposits that we may not have even been aware of.
We emphasise execution too. There is no point in conceiving brilliant strategies without driving them. We have witnessed the Second Republic leading from the front in this regard. Let this rub-off in the rest of the economy.
Our business sector laments access to capital, which is understandable. But start where you are and progressively grow where this is possible. Funding for start-ups or expansion projects has not been easy to come but if we dig deeper e find solutions of going round this impediment.
There is now the Empowerment Bank, the Women’s Bank, and a $500 million facility being provided by Government for the previously marginalised lot. These should help, even as we dig deeper for more.
Training and developing competencies is critical. Business comes with challenges but we will achieve higher success rates if we adequately provide training, mentorship, incubators and other technical assistance. A lot is happening in this regard but we must continue to dig deeper.
We also put a premium on working as a collective, pulling in the same direction.
The polarisation evident in some sections of the populace is self-defeating. We can achieve more as a collective. Zimbabwe needs all hands on deck.
Despite Covid-19, industry is rebounding, capacity utilisation is in ascendancy, exports are escalating and imports diminishing. This should motivate us to achieve more.
The value of the dollar is stabilising and inflation being tamed.
The above point to a fruitful picture whose magnitude is dependent on each and every one of us.
We have it in ourselves to create the future we desire and happy days will ensue. . .let us all dig deep into our reserves.
In God I Trust!
Twitter handle: @VictoriaRuzvid2; Email: [email protected]; [email protected]; WhatsApp number: 0772 129 972
