President back from leave, to focus on economic growth
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has officially returned from his month-long leave, and his packed schedule will prioritise Zimbabwe’s economic growth and stability, Deputy Chief Secretary (Presidential Communications) in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mr George Charamba, has said.
Mr Charamba yesterday said that the President was officially back from his annual vacation, adding that “major decisions will be made regarding the economy”.
President Mnangagwa last week took time off his annual break to chair a session on developments in the country’s economy designed to map the way forward.
“The President is now officially back from his leave and as you may know there (have been) certain economic developments in the past few weeks, remember he had to break his leave last week to chair a meeting that focused on the economic developments in the country, so his major focus will be on the economy. Some major decisions will be made regarding the economy,” he said.
Last week’s meeting that was attended by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Vice President Kembo Mohadi, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube and State Security Minister Lovemore Matuke, deliberated on measures Government has taken on the economy and developments in specific economic sectors, including the retail sub-sector.
The meeting culminated in the announcement of a raft of new measures to compel regulatory compliance within the retail and wholesale sectors, aiming to rein in the country’s increasingly informal economy.
On a regional level, the President, who is the current Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chair, will continue to lead the regional body in intensifying regional peace and security efforts.
The President last week chaired the Extraordinary SADC Summit held in Harare to discuss the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Both SADC Chair President Mnangagwa and East African Community (EAC) Chair Kenyan President William Ruto have since agreed for the convening of a joint summit between the two regional blocs.
During his break, the President demonstrated that he was a hands-on leader as he performed his duties as and when needed.
In addition to chairing the economic meeting and the Extraordinary SADC Summit, the President saw off beneficiaries of an Algerian scholarship programme, welcomed ruling party and opposition legislators as they toured the First Family’s Pricabe Farm in Kwekwe, a monumental tour that saw the unification of both Zanu PF and CCC MPs, and commemorated former Vice President John Landa Nkomo’s death, among other Presidential duties.
In the last Cabinet meeting of 2024, the President said going into the new year, the Second Republic would continue delivering for the general citizenry this year.
“The service delivery demands of the people of Zimbabwe must be responded to timely. After all, we are a Government by the people and for the people,” he said. The Herald