Harare(New Ziana) – Cabinet held its last meeting of the year on Tuesday, with President Mnangagwa expressing satisfaction over the performance of his team as they navigated the year amidst difficulties brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year, Cabinet which sits traditionally every Tuesday, held 43 meetings.
He said being the third year since the advent of the Second Republic government has had to exert greater energies in order to achieve milestones envisaged in the National Development Strategy 1.
“The team work and unity of purpose under the Whole of Government Approach, was commendable and should be strengthened going into the future,” he said.
“I would like, therefore, to congratulate you individually and severally for your sterling performance. The Cabinet Secretariat under the guidance of the Chief Secretary is also commended for supporting our work, with great diligence. All of you, as a Cabinet, performed above par and skilfully tackled all the challenges thrown to us. This was against a background of numerous challenges brought about by the COVID 19 pandemic with its associated lockdowns environment. Well done.”
President Mnangagwa said during the course of the year, Cabinet had made bold and strategic national decisions, which resulted in several successes being registered.
“This must inspire us as we get into 2022, for indeed, the responsibility is weighty and expectations of our people are high,” he said.
“The enforcement of lockdowns and the need for strict observance of World Health Organisation guidelines and protocols prevented the worst-case health scenario. Similarly, the refurbishment and equipping of our Central, Provincial and District hospitals coupled with the deliberate improvement in manning levels, to deal with COVID 19, paid dividend.”
He said it was because Zimbabwe’s well commended management of the pandemic that had resulted in the country’s case fatality ratio remaining 3.5 percent, while nearly 4 million people had received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccines and close to 3 million have received the second dose.
President Mnangagwa said the successes attained during the year also spanned across all sectors.
He said overall economic performance has been unprecedented, with the mining sector is on a growth path, while industrial capacity utilization now averaged between 40 and 60 percent.
“Our collective decisions have further ensured genuine empowerment involving local resources and local manpower. In the aftermath of a good 2020/2021 rainfall season, the country has a sound food security base. The record input mobilisation and distribution programme means that our people have been capacitated to deliver yet another bumper harvest. The broadening of the crop range at village level, into horticulture, will undoubtedly help increase incomes at the grassroots level,” he said.
“The national food security status has thus allowed our Government to devote resources to critical programmes under the National Development Strategy-1, such as infrastructure development across all sectors. Dams, roads, schools, clinics and university construction projects are happening at an unparalleled rate.
“Our Devolution Policy continues to have a far reaching impact, especially to the ordinary members of our people. Going into 2022, we must work harder to accelerate the development agenda of the Second Republic and implement more high impact and life-changing projects.”
President Mnangagwa reminded his lieutenants that more work lay ahead as efforts continue to build the country.
New Ziana