The Sunday Mail
Editor’s Brief
Victoria Ruzvidzo
In the pursuit of dreams, goals and visions, clear perception of what we want, the kind of life, the kind of economy, the kind of society and the kind of nation we desire to have is of great importance.
The moment we do not have sight and insight of that we aspire to attain, we inadvertently make it impossible to achieve anything at all.
As as nation we have a common vision as to the outcome we desire from all the effort being put in by millions of Zimbabweans to achieve economic prosperity and live the lives we want and deserve.
In the middle of the challenges we are facing individually and collectively, we have had the resolve to put forth some astounding results and make massive progress in economic activity and a change of fortune.
Although we have come a long way and definitely made progress, the truth is we are still some way to achieving the Zimbabwe we want to be living in. This is not for a want of effort, but only because there is still much work to be done and some elements that must just go away and top of that list is corruption and all resultant activities that make the actualisation of our dreams and targets a mission impossible.
Our facilities and infrastructure should and will be world class, also making it attractive to any potential investments that may come our way.
What we want is a thriving economy where every one can afford everything and we do not have to put in twice the effort for half the results, efficiency being the name of the game. An economy replete with opportunities and an enabling operating environment that does not fight against its own people and their perseverance.
A health delivery system is very much a part of what we want to see and experience and is vital to the welfare of our country’s citizens and residents.
The health of any nation is of great importance.
A nation’s constituent elements cannot contribute to our collective goals if it is ailing and in poor heath.
Our health systems had been under siege owing to decades of neglect.
The Covid-19 amplified the need to have robust and resilient systems.
It thus becomes instructive that we make investments in this sector, provide funding for machinery, drugs and keep staff motivated.
It is important too to emphasise on preventative measures rather than curative ones.
We have lost too much talent and potential because we did not have sufficient capacity to handle some basic, but fatal procedures for one reason or the other.
We want to see the family unit restored with love not bitterness all around and the burden of being family heads taken off the shoulders of our children and with it a preservation of our hope for tomorrow.
Still we need to work harder even than we have ever done.
We need to be more united than we already are and have a higher resolve than we currently possess. All the above and more are achievable, but we must complete the paradigm shift we are currently undergoing as a nation as every success begins in the mind, attitude and character of the one who aspires to attain it.
Corruption must be put to an end whatever it takes as we will not get out of the blocks in a race that we must win and are favourites to.
In our respective endeavours,we work towards a defined end. What do we envision as the Zimbabwe we want and inevitably, how do we work towards it?
Without contest, our business sector has a crucial role to play as we forge ahead with the Zimbabwe we want.
This sector oils the engine of the economy.
We need a vibrant business sector, which, while the profit motive remains its guiding principle, should do so responsibly and prudently.
Its pricing models should be informed by cost structures, not one which seeks to exploit arbitrage opportunities.
It must deploy strategies that resonate with the ever-evolving business operating environment.
Innovation, agility, sustainability and dynamism are key operative factors.
Processes must continue to evolve, incorporating news ways and means of doing business and thus need constant evaluation.
A business sector which meets its tax obligations to allow the Government to carry out its mandate is not only desirable, but mandatory.
It must continue to engage the Government and labour with proposals which aid its evolvement.
Governments the world over do not initiate much, but are often receptive and amenable to new ideas.
The behaviour in the foreign currency market is self-defeating.
The auction system started auspiciously, with availability and stability markedly improved.
Some entities would get forex at good rates, then go on to trade it on the parallel market at usury rates.
They would do this clandestinely, illegally and imprudently.
This spawned inflationary pressures, negating hitherto gains.
Production and productivity are the sustainable means of growing economies, not speculative tendencies which always prove unsustainable.
Our education systems need to produce students and graduates who can be seamlessly integrated into commerce and industry.
In our Business section we carry a story where the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Amon Murwira is emphasising this.
Further to this they need to develop mindsets of being potential employers themselves and we disabuse the dependency syndrome.
This can be inculcated right from an early age as emphasised by the President himself.
The strides the Government has made in putting an accent on innovation is laudable.
What is it that the ordinary Zimbabwean aspires for?
To be able to put food on the table, pay rent, send children to school, ensure the health of the family and to live in peace are some of the expectations.
But they also need to see their lives develop.
The ordinary Zimbabwean would also want to see opportunities and capacitation provided, in the face of employment challenges.
The Government on its part is taking steps towards that end, with policies such as rural industrialisation.
The Pfumvudza/Intwasa concept brought significant numbers into the value chain, not only enabling food security, but escalating inclusiveness.
We also need to foster a peaceful environment where the security of the masses is assured.
While we might be divided in our opinions and orientation, we must never ever let that compromise our security.
There really can be unity in diversity.
The SMEs sector and entrepreneurship exploits also provide opportunities for advancement of sections of our populaces.
It would be naive to expect anything on a silver platter. The National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) takes cognisance of the crucial role this sector can play.
Training, incubators, capacitation, and a shift in ethos will see greater movement.
So, the Zimbabwe we want is growth — focused, inclusive and peaceful. It is attainable and within reach.
We have attained some progress thus far and we should continue to build on our early successes for everything is work in progress.
In God I Trust!
◆ Twitter handle: @VictoriaRuzvid2; Email: [email protected]; [email protected]; WhatsApp number: 0772 129 972.
