Mnangagwa gets new nickname

Published: 26 July 2018

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has earned a new nickname as "Mr Groundbreaking" for daily officiating at life-changing national projects being initiated across the country to revitalise the economy.

The projects are set to breathe life into the economy along with creating thousands of jobs for youths.

Through his relentless efforts for a better Zimbabwe, President Mnangagwa said the country's per capita income had increased dramatically from $900 in November to $1 011 by May this year.

The President is optimistic that by 2030 the country's per capita income would reach $3 500.

Addressing thousands of people gathered to witness the commissioning of the African Chrome Fields tech-savvy aluminothermic chrome processing plant owned by the Moti Group outside Kwekwe yesterday, President Mnangagwa said his wish was to create a new Zimbabwe desired by all citizens.

African Chrome Fields is the biggest chrome miner in Zimbabwe.

Its new plant is set to further increase the company's range of products through the addition of ultra-low carbon high grade ferrochrome and create employment across its operations.

"I am now Mr Groundbreaking," said President Mnangagwa.

"But you realise that each incident where we are commissioning or doing groundbreaking, that is creation of employment, that is putting food on the tables of our families. This is the new Zimbabwe we want. We shall continue to grow and grow. Today's event is a great accomplishment," he said.

"In November, at the inception of this new vision, our per capita income was standing at $900. Six months down the line we were at $1 011. I have no doubt that by the year 2030 per capita income for Zimbabwe would have risen to $3 500."

President Mnangagwa has commissioned a number of multi-billion dollar projects since he assumed office last November.

He has commissioned the Hwange 7 and 8 thermal projects, the re-opening of Shabanie-Mashaba Mine with a joint capacity of directly employing 9 000 people, and recently he also re-opened Eureka Gold Mine in Guruve.

On Monday he officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony of the $153 million expansion of Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and on Tuesday he was in Mhondoro-Mubaira where he officially launched the $4,2 billion Karo Resources consolidated platinum project that is set to employ a combined 90 000 people directly and indirectly at its peak in a few years' time.

"We had the recent groundbreaking of Hwange 7 and 8 thermal power projects. The upgrade and modernisation of Beitbridge Border Post, Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport development projects as well as the commissioning of the newly refurbished Kadoma General Hospital and Delta in Harare. I can go on and on," said President Mnangagwa.

He said the hallmark of the new dispensation was economic growth and this had seen the new administration securing in excess of $16 billion investment commitments in just six months.

"Investment commitments that have been given by foreign investment in the country re more than $16 billion," said President Mnangagwa.

"In the past we never reached $500 million per year but under six months we are exceeding $16 billion. We are saying Zimbabwe shall never be the same again. In Zimbabwe we preach peace, we preach unity and we preach tolerance. We want our people to be united, we want our people to support each other and we want our people to be respectful. We continue to march on in pursuit of our vision to become a middle income economy by 2030."

President Mnangagwa said the mining sector continued to be the anchor of the country's economic trajectory.

"I urge investors, both local and foreign, to seize opportunities abound in our country as we seek to continuously develop our mining sector," he said.

"My Government, on its part, will continue to ease and reduce the cost of doing business and providing the requisite infrastructure and the legal framework for win-win outcomes."

President Mnangagwa commended the Moti Group for taking a bold decision to invest in Zimbabwe at a time when some companies were scaling down or exiting the country.
- chronicle

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