The Sunday News
Lincoln Towindo, Harare Bureau
THE era of prioritising politics over the economy is over as the new administration primes the country for growth, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
At a field day at a farm owned by Mr Irvene Taguta of the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church last week, the President said growth projections stood at 4,7 percent up from earlier indications of 3,7 percent. He said in the four months his administration has been in office, investments commitment worth US$7 billion had been secured.
“Tirikuona growth of the economy kubva pauya new dispensation muna November last year; it’s just in excess of four months, our economy has grown.
Yanga iri 3,7 percent it has now been declared kuti yavakukura ne 4,7 percent this year. It is going up and the projections are that it will continue to grow because of the policies and because of the focus we are having on the economy.
“It is not anymore politics and politics, we are saying politics and economics. Zvinhu zvinoitisa kuti pamba pave nechikafu ndozvatinotarira. Zvinhu zvinoitisa kuti mhuri imwe neimwe ikwanise kutumira vana vayo ku chikoro zvakanaka ndizvo zvatinotarisa. Zvinhu zvinoita tigare takaguta ndozvatinotarisa. Zvinoita kuti tigare takapfeka zvakanaka; ndozvatinotarisa,” he said.
Turning to why Government summarily dismissed striking nurses last week, the President said the concerned workers refused to return to work even though Government had released more than $17 million to meet their demands.
He explained that because of the Independence Day holiday which saw banks traditionally closing, some nurses did not see the transactions immediately reflecting in their accounts, but this did not mean Government had not honoured its agreement with them.
“Makanzwa kuti kuna ma-nurse akaenda pa-strike. In 2010 pakaitika matambudziko akaitika nema-nurse, kukagariwa pasi vakawirirana zvakawiriranwa, vakapuhwa ma-allowance avakapuhwa, asi havana kupihwa mari idzodzo.
“Ikozvino ndokubva vati tinoda mari dziya dzatakavimbiswa 2010. Imarii? Ndedzei? Vakatsanangura tikazvinzwa kuHurumende kuti ndizvo zvakaitika, tikati ayehwa, tokupai mari dzenyu dzamataura.
“Tikadana veku Finance tikawana mari yacho; US$17 million musi we Muvhuro. Tikadana vatuungamiriri vavo, ve-board ravo, tikati mari yamanga muchida U$17 million taiwana iyi.
“Saka chidzokerai kubasa nekuti Hurumende inokoshesa hupenyu hwavanhu. Kana ma-nurse asipo ma dhokotera ahakwanise kushanda zvakakwana. Ma-nurse vari very important pa-health delivery.
“Tikati zvakanaka mari yawanikwa iyi, anga ari manheru eMuvhuro. Hubva mangwana, Chipiri, vakomana vedu ve Finance vanenge vachigara pasi neve Ministry of Health kuti umwe neumwe mari yako yema-arrears yakamira sei, wopihwa mari yako.
“Zvinotora mazuva maviri, asi pamusana pekuti musi we Chitatu yanga iri-holiday, ma-bank akavharwa, yanga iri Independence Day yedu, saka mari dzacho munozodziwana ne China, chidzokerai kubasa mumirire kuti mazuva maviri apfure mugowana mari dzenyu ne China.
“Vakaramba, kwahi ayehwa. Tikati magara makore eight musina kupihwa mari iyoyo isu takukumbirai kuti nhasi Muvhuro manheru mangwana vakomana vanotanga kushanda neChipiri chose throughout the day and night vachiisa mari dzenyu, musi weChitatu ihoridhe asi neChina mari dzino reflecta muma-accounts menyu.
“Zvikanzi hatidi, tikati zvino munokudza zvipi kubatsira vanhu muzvipatara kuti vararame kana mari, uku mari takuvimbisai.
“Chinganetsa kuti mugomira mazuva maviri mugowana mari dzenyu chii imi mambogara makore masere musina? Zvikanzi hatidi tozodzokera taiona yabuda mu-swipe.
“Tikati pamazuva maviri aya panokwanisa kufa vanhu kana zvakadaro isu takukudzingai basa. Mose imi ma-nurse arimunyika asina mabasa endai munopihwa mabasa.
“Saka asi ayo ma-nurse akaterera akauya kubasa tirikuti ngavapihwe mari dzavo, avo vasina kuuya tavapa mukana wekuti va aplaye kuti vadzoke. Ava vanga vasina mabasa chero uri ani huya tinokutora upinde basa. Tafunga kuti kune chikonye chiripo.”
