Mnangagwa needs to engaging every citizen locally and abroad

Published: 13 September 2018

Build Zimbabwe Alliance leader Noah Manyika has said Zimbabwe's economic transformation needs President Emmerson Mnangagwa to go beyond appointing a good Cabinet to engaging every citizen locally and abroad.

In an open letter to Mnangagwa dated September 11, Manyika said there was need for the country to avoid the trauma of disputed elections in future to ensure whoever is elected can govern with the full co-operation and goodwill of the citizens.

"Zimbabwe can become a high-performing economic tiger if we decide to need each other, and engage every Zimbabwean at home and abroad (beyond appointing a few to Cabinet) in the urgent business of building our nation," Manyika wrote.

"The reality is that some critical ideas that will enable you to tackle the country's immense problems will come from outside your party and from many citizens who love their country but did not vote for you."

Mnangagwa's victory was confirmed after the Constitutional Court dismissed opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa's election petition last month, immediately vowing to shift the country's focus from political squabbling to economic revival. Manyika said while be believed that there were some external forces working against the country, "we owe it to ourselves to succeed in spite of them".

He said Mnangagwa should start by winning the war against poverty and set the national development agenda to reverse a situation, where about 72% of the country's population is living in desperate poverty.

"Poverty and economic inequality pose the greatest threat to the short-and medium-term security and stability of our nation. We cannot maximise the potential of our nation to be a blessing to mankind without bringing the majority of our people out of subsistence living," Manyika said.

The opposition leader called for the implementation of a comprehensive infrastructural development plan to protect and grow the asset-base of villagers.

He said the country should never again experience the trauma of contested elections.

"I submit that the reason we need electoral reforms urgently is not to favour one party or another, but to make sure that whoever is elected can govern with the full co-operation and goodwill of our citizens and our friends," Manyika said.
- newsday

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