The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
WITH the global Covid-19 pandemic, food insecurity and price instability among the adversities that rocked the nation in 2020, the year proved to be arguably one of the most difficult for many Zimbabweans in recent memory.
2021, however, presents an opportunity to start over for many people and most are hopeful that the year will be a good one.
Here The Sunday Mail explores some 10 positives for Zimbabweans to possibly look forward to in 2021.
New TV stations
Zimbabwe has fundamentally relied on one television station since independence as state broadcaster ZBC/TV was the sole operator, although a handful of other operators have come and gone. However, with the coming in of the Second Republic and opening up of the democratic space, the country could this year see up to six new free-to-air private television stations going live, thereby ending ZBC/TV’s 64-year monopoly.
The development follows the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe’s (BAZ) swift action to deliver its promise to free airwaves and grant operating licences to more television and radio stations.
The Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN), a subsidiary of diversified media group Zimbabwe Newspapers (1980) Ltd, is among the broadcasters that was granted a free-to-air television licence. The other five are Rusununguko Media (Pvt) Ltd — trading as NRTV, Jester Media trading as 3K TV, Acacia Media Group — trading as Kumba TV, Fairtalk Communications — trading as Ke Yona TV — and Channel Dzimbahwe — trading as Channel D.
Bumper harvest
Following one of the worst droughts in the country’s history, many Zimbabweans faced food insecurity in 2020 with 3,8 million needing food assistance to survive, according to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVac).
While the trauma of facing starvation might still be lurking in the minds of those affected, 2021 promises to be a much better year in terms of food security.
With farmers targeting 216 000 hectares of maize under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme, the country looks on course for a bumper harvest in 2021.
On the other hand, farmers benefiting under the special programme for import substitution, Command Agriculture, are expected to have put 410 000 hectares under food crops by the end of the summer cropping season. Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Permanent Secretary Dr John Basera said the country was targeting 80 000 hectares of irrigated maize, and 210 hectares under dry land, 60 000ha of soya bean, 10 000ha sunflower and 50 000 sorghum under Command Agriculture.
The 151 000 tonnes of wheat out of a projected 250 000 tonnes delivered by farmers to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) so far is the icing on the cake for the nation.
Having only managed 46 000 tonnes of wheat last term, 2021 might just be the year that the agricultural giant that Zimbabwe is, might wake up.
The return of sport
After almost a year without local sport, 2021 could see the return of football’s Premiere Soccer League as the national lockdown is expected to be eased should Covid-19 cases infections decrease and the vaccine starts coming in.
The Premier Soccer League is expected to return early March, after a 12-month coronavirus induced hiatus.
If the vaccine becomes available, local fans could even be allowed into stadiums when the top flight finally makes a return.
The Zimbabwe national soccer team could book their place at the 2021 African Cup of Nations finals if they post positive results against Botswana (away) and Zambia at home in March.
Cricket as well makes an early return with a T20 tournament starting in Harare tomorrow.
Due to the pandemic, the tournament will be played in a bio-secure bubble as has become the norm across the sporting world.
Zimbabwe is also preparing for a Test and T20 International series against Afghanistan set for February in either India or the UAE.
Zimbabwean athletes continue with their quest to qualify for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Games.
To date, rowing is the only sport that has secured an Olympic ticket for Zimbabwe.
More disciplines such as athletics, equestrian and boxing among others will be expected to challenge for Olympic qualification.
Covid-19 vaccine
After almost a year since the emergence of Covid-19, a vaccine was finally found towards the end of 2020.
Like many other developing countries, Zimbabwe does not have the vaccine yet but has made huge strides in preparation for its impending distribution.
According to President Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe has upped preparations for a nationwide roll out of the Covid-19 vaccine, with the Government having concluded two extensive studies to assess readiness for the deployment of inoculation jabs.
With confirmed cases now standing at 14 084 and 369 as of Friday, the country risks sliding into a second wave and a potential strict lockdown.
However, most people are praying that the vaccine is distributed early to avoid more cases and deaths and a potential strict lockdown.
Countries such as China and the United Kingdom have pledged to assist Zimbabwe to acquire and distribute Covid-19 vaccines.
Improved power generation
2021 might be the year that the country’s power generation shortfalls could be resolved once and for all should several projects being implemented by the Government materialise.
Following the successful completion of the installation of two 150MW generation units at Kariba South in April 2018 to take its capacity to 1 050MW, work on the Hwange Power Station expansion is progressing well.
The expansion of Hwange Power Station will see the addition of two units with a combined output of 600 megawatts.
Progress at the station has reached 48 percent completion, but has fallen behind the target of 57 percent due to global travel restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Solar projects such as Harava and Nyabira solar power stations could start to contribute a significant amount of electricity to the grid this year.
This year could also see the commencement of the 2 400MW Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme (BGHES) project — a bilateral venture between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
On completion, the project will see the two neighbouring countries earning a revenue of over US$750 million annually.
Mining boom
Zimbabwe’s mining sector in 2020 registered huge gains to lay a firm foundation for growth in 2021 despite the global recession.
The gains come at a time when the Government is implementing a programme which is targeting to grow mining sector exports from US$2, 7 billion in 2017 to US$12 billion by 2023.
In a year in which a recession would have been justified, Zimbabwe saw the opening of several mining assets, expansion of several already existing mining projects as well as the continued flow of foreign direct investments on the back of President Mnangagwa’s “Zimbabwe is open for business” mantra.
Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando has, in the year gone by, changed his tone from saying “Zimbabwe is confident of achieving the 2023 milestone” to “Zimbabwe is in the process of achieving the 2023 milestone as set out by President Mnangagwa”.
Infrastructure development
With Phase One of the Harare-Beitbridge Highway close to completion, the Government is in 2021 making preparations to begin Phase 2, working with local companies who have so far done an excellent job.
Phase Two, which entails more work, is expected to commence in February in line with targeted timelines for the project to be concluded at the end of 2022.
The second phase is expected to create close to 2 000 jobs as the project continues to make a positive impact on the economy.
Other infrastructure projects such as the full utilisation of Marovanyati Dam which was commissioned by the President last year are set to begin this year.
The Government has indicated its intention to rehabilitate the urban road network as has been promised by President Mnangagwa.
The Government is rehabilitating the rural road network to boost the rural economy.
Economic growth
The implementation of National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) this year, together with the deployment of public resources through the $421 billion 2021 National Budget will spur growth and development.
NDS1 is a five-year economic blueprint that succeeds the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), which ended on December 31 after coming on stream in October 2018.
Implementation of the TSP, especially pertaining to balanced budgets and fiscal discipline followed by currency reforms and establishment of a Foreign Currency Auction System, resulted in currency and price stability six months before the end of the programme with the last few months largely consolidating and proving the gains of stability before Zimbabwe moves from cleaning up inherited woes and accelerates into rapid, production-orientated and equitable growth.
Fight against corruption
In 2020 Zimbabwe made significant strides in its fight against corruption.
Among other achievements, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) recovered more than US$5 million worth of corruptly-acquired property, including 501 vehicles.
The commission is hunting down foreign assets suspected to have been corruptly acquired by Zimbabweans in South Africa, Britain, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Mauritius and Kenya.
In 2020 ZACC submitted 87 dockets to the National Prosecuting Authority for criminal trials and secured 10 criminal convictions countrywide.
According to Judicial Services Commission Chairperson, Chief Justice Luke Malaba, 2021 is the year in which the commission wants to turn more arrests into convictions.
Academic progress
After a year in which both basic and tertiary education was greatly affected by the pandemic and national lockdown, learners are optimistic that 2021 is the year in which they will make better progress.
Universities had been relegated to virtual classes as a result of social distancing and students are itching for a return to traditional methods of learning.
Examination classes for basic education are set to continue this week to ensure smooth continuity of grades and streams when schools eventually open.
The Government has also set aside funds for the construction of more schools and the rehabilitation of tobacco barns and facilities that had been turned into schools.
