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AS Zimbabweans continue to suffocate under the hyperinflation environment and many other challenges, President Emmerson Mnangagwa says much has been achieved by the Second Republic in last five years.
Addressing thousands of supporters bussed from the country's 10 provinces for the Zanu PF 2023 election manifesto launch in Chipinge on Saturday; Mnangagwa said many of the country's problems were taken into account and his administration had taken steps to resolve them.
This is despite the fact that many of the 2018 promises made by his government were not met owing to several reasons such as corruption, bad policies and bad governance.
Among the promises that were not achieved, to name just a few, included ensuring consistent economic growth of at least 6% per annum for the period 2018 to 2023.
The issuing of land security tenure documents i.e. 99 year leases and A1 permits. This has not been done as most farmers await the said leases.
Compensation of former white farmers in line with the provisions of the national constitution remains unresolved.
The amendment of the Mines and Minerals Act (Chapter 21: 05) is yet to take place while other laws have been aligned to the constitution or amended.
The revival of the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) and revamping the country's outdated railway infrastructure remains on the pipeline.
Like during the days of the late former President Robert Mugabe, the ruling party has however, attributed the failures to sanctions.
"We heard your grievances through your leaders and we are addressing them.
"The Second Republic has fulfilled many of its promises. We resolved the fuel crisis, we resolved electricity shortages. After Hwange Units 7 and 8, we are building more power stations and as we speak we no longer have load shedding," President Mnangagwa said.
However, unemployment rate, load-shedding frequency, exchange rate disparities and a spiralling inflation rate continue to haunt the nation.
The ZW$ has depreciated against the US dollar in the past few months and is at around ZW$ 10 000 to US$1 on the parallel market.
Citizens' salaries have also been eroded.
However in his speech, President Mnangagwa urged supporters to produce locally adding this would counter the west imposed sanctions.
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"As a Zimbabwean change your mind-set and start producing locally. We should not rely on imports and I know our people are talented and sharp; they are coming up with innovations to produce locally.
"The Second Republic's main priority is to bust sanctions through producing for ourselves.
"We are doing this through various programs such as Pfumvudza," said the President.
According to President Mnangagwa, the manifesto campaign launch was done in honour of the national hero Ndabaningi Sithole who was recognised almost 23 years after his demise.
"The democracy and one man one vote that we enjoy today came as a result of Zanu PF. This is why we decided to launch our campaign here in honour of Cde Sithole."
"That's why we decided to honour founding president Ndabaningi Sithole and Manicaland produced many revolutionaries like Rekayi Tangwena and Herbert Chitepo and we honoured them.
He called for peace and unity in the run -up to the elections scheduled for August 23, 2023.
"As we go for elections we should all shun violence because Zanu PF is a peaceful party.
"I call for peace, unity and harmony. We must preserve peace despite the backgrounds we are drawn from," the President said.
