Harare: AfricUpdate – News Desk
The nation will celebrate the life and works of President Emmerson Mnangagwa as he turns 83 this Monday. Unparalleled, exceptional, unique, incomparable are some of the superlatives that one can use to describe what President Mnangagwa has done for Zimbabwe in the last six years. On road infrastructure, the journey started with the Beitbridge-Masvingo-Harare highway, at the same time empowering local firms, which have become very big and now challenge regional contracts. The highway reconstruction birthed the Trabablas Interchange, a structure that is the first in Zimbabwe and the largest outside South Africa, regionally.
With more than ten thousand water bodies as a solution to climate change challenges, under President Mnangagwa’s leadership, more dams are being constructed to ensure sustainable agriculture. Under the Second Republic, bumper harvests have been recorded in maize, cereals, and traditional grains, while tobacco has recorded record-breaking deliveries of 353 million kilogrammes, earning over US$1.1 billion. To ensure commerce thrives, President Mnangagwa initiated and completed the expansion of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport with a state-of-the-art VVIP pavilion, which attracted the attention of several leaders during the 44th SADC Summit in Harare.
The airport was complemented by the magnificent New Parliament building, which was made possible by the President’s economic diplomacy thrust. In terms of investments, Zimbabwe has recorded huge inflows, with major companies either expanding operations or setting up refinery plants to value-add for maximum benefit. The “leaving no one and no place behind” mantra has seen all corners of the country hosting national events.
This year alone, National Independence Day was held in Gokwe-Nembudziya, and the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Kumbanayi tourism expo was hosted for the first time outside Bulawayo, leaving a trail of massive infrastructure development. Higher and tertiary institutions have benefited under President Mnangagwa’s leadership, as innovation hubs and industrial parks have been established to give learners an opportunity to turn their dreams into reality. Most institutions have come up with various innovations, and the commercialisation of some products is ongoing, generating revenue for these colleges.
Thirty-five villages are benefitting from strategic village business units, an empowerment programme that is critical towards modernising and industrialising communities. Regionally, during his tenure as SADC Chairman, President Mnangagwa proved that Zimbabwe is committed to upholding peace and security in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. On the international platform, President Mnangagwa has executed economic diplomacy with lasting impressions.
United Nations agencies have already been charmed, with the World Food Programme setting in motion the need to make Zimbabwe a regional food distribution hub. The Head of State has received massive support for the United Nations Security Council non-permanent seat, reflecting his impact on the global platform. All these achievements in six years of President Mnangagwa’s leadership are a cause for celebration, with several high-impact projects being rolled out. It is a Munhumutapa Day celebration with a difference.
