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Forty-five years after Zimbabwe attained independence, the country has witnessed several developmental initiatives, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
In his address today, 18 April 2025, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, His Excellency, Dr E. D. Mnangagwa in Gokwe, Nembudziya in the Midlands Province said central to the country’s development is the commitment to devolution and development, that leaves no one and no place behind.
“As we mark this day, we can look back at the past with pride, knowing what we have achieved, as a united and hardworking people. From the household level up to our respective provinces and the nation as a whole, we are defying the odds, breaking records and realising uncommon development successes,” President Mnangagwa said.
He said the continuing sanctions, climate change induced setbacks, global economic shocks, and machinations by detractors, desperate to see citizens divided, have not derailed the developmantal course, so a higher quality of life and a prosperous upper middle-income society for the people, in line with Vision 2030, is within sight.
HE Mnangagwa said the Second Republic is comprehensively promoting rural development and revitalisation towards Vision 2030.
This year’s Independence celebration is occurring after the consolidation of the Land Reform through the issuance of title deeds to both A1 and A2 farmers, including veterans of the liberation struggle. The Government is also stepping up efforts to regularise both old and new settlements in cities and towns throughout the country. These programmes are set to assure citizens security of tenure, and ownership of their properties through title deeds.
The ongoing Agriculture Transformation Strategy is further deepening rural reforms to ensure food security, increased grain production and agricultural efficiency. Improved incomes for farmers, beginning at household levels are evident while poverty eradication initiatives anchored by the agriculture sector have broadened. Riding on the rural industrialisation policy, the volume of trade and value addition, based on agriculture crops and products is recording new highs.
Steady growth of both the beef and dairy national herds and other categories of livestock farming as well as the need to prevent animal-borne diseases remain a top priority for the Government. As such, programmes, including the Presidential Heifer, Piggery and Poultry Pass-on Schemes, particularly for women, youth and war veterans, will continue to be supported.
Land which is Zimbabwe’s inalienable heritage, is being productively utilised, with an anticipated bumper harvest from the 2024/2025 summer cropping season. This will see the restocking of the Strategic Grain Reserve.
“I call upon all patriotic Zimbabweans to support our farmers and industries by buying local produce, increasing investments in agri-businesses and unlocking the full potential of our land.
“The Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme is expanding yearly. Partnerships under the Irrigation Development Alliance, will develop an additional 100 000 hectares with the private sector. These pro-active initiatives will go a long way towards minimising the challenges associated with climate change,” President Mnangagwa said.
Last season’s El Nino induced drought affected many districts throughout the country. Zimbabweans were able to feed themselves in the face of this adversity. Vulnerability of all those affected was adequately reduced under the Food Deficit Mitigation Programme, which also saw urban households benefitting from cash transfers.
Government continues to honour the contribution made to the attainment of Independence, especially the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle.
The government is creating an enabling environment for full participation in mainstream socio-economic development. To date, many programmes are underway, such as the Presidential Borehole drilling, Rural Solarisation and Housing schemes, along with those under the Youth Empowerment initiative.
Communities across the country are encouraged to be actively involved in these programmes being championed by the ruling ZANU PF Government. All Zimbabweans, no matter their gender, tribe, age or political affiliation, must benefit.
President Mnangagwa said the Governmen, is concerned with the frequency of destruction of life and property in some districts, including in Gokwe, Chimanimani, Chipinge, Chiredzi, Muzarabani, and Tsholotsho, among others, due to the severe weather events. The need to build climate resilient infrastructure in communities, is now urgent.
More resources have been allocated to restore and rehabilitate damaged infrastructure, including schools, clinics, bridges, roads and water supply systems. So far, houses constructed by Government for flood victims are ready for commissioning, while over 400 boreholes have been drilled in Midlands Province alone, some of which, have been equipped with solarised pumps.
The policies of the Second Republic are bearing fruit, with the mining sector leading and supporting value addition across sub-sectors. A 5.6% growth is expected this year, benefiting from new mines, and the favourable commodity prices of some minerals.
The accelerated implementation of the National Development Strategy has had a positive impact on manufacturing sector value chains. Of note is the Pharmaceutical Sector, with rising capacity utilisation up to the current 50%, from previous levels of 43%.
To guarantee that Zimbabwean products are competitive in both local and global markets, technical and vocational education, with biases in Science, Technology and Innovation, are of critical importance. Training of artisans and technicians to drive the industrialisation agenda, under the Industry and Government Special Apprenticeship Scheme has commenced.
The Integrated Skills Expansion and Outreach Programme is also equipping youth in rural communities, with skills to drive modernisation and development, beginning at the grassroots level.
Over the past year, tax incentives, infrastructure access and public procurement reforms, that favour youthled enterprises and business start-ups, have been implemented by the Second Republic.
Similarly, financial support to women-led businesses have been extended through various financing schemes. These facilities have increased the number of women and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises participating in local, regional and international trade. The Government is listening and wholeheartedly fulfilling the aspirations of our people.
Vulnerable learners under the Basic Education Assistance Module exceed 1.5 million. New schools and classrooms were constructed in all provinces with focus on rural and resettlement areas. New urban settlements throughout the country are benefitting from this programme, including Cowdray Park in Bulawayo as well as Stoneridge and Caledonia in Harare.
The ongoing quest by my Government to realise urban-rural energy security, has seen the electrification of rural public institutions across Zimbabwe, such as schools, clinics and administrative centres. This is positively impacting social service delivery.
The health delivery system is undergoing reform and modernisation, in terms of quality service delivery, access to affordable specialist treatment, availability of drugs as well as infrastructure development. The private sector has come on board to increase health facilities across all provinces.
