Vice President Kembo Mohadi last night held an interactive engagement with Zimbabweans living in the Republic of Congo, where he chronicled the developments that have been done by the Second Republic since 2017 and thanked them for their contribution back through Diaspora remittance.
In his remarks, VP Mohadi said he was proud to be engaging the professionals, an indication that they benefited from Zimbabwe's sound education.
"It is because of our education system that you are here and running a regional office," he said.
VP Mohadi then informed the Diasporans that his delegation was in Brazzaville for the first International Conference on Afforestation and Reforestation where countries are exchanging notes on planting and conserving forests in light of climate change.
"We were invited to come to this important conference, a first of its kind, and we said we should come since we are also affected by climate change.
"We have had cyclones, the worst being Cyclone Idai that affected Chimanimani in 2019. It swept some people to the oceans and were never found," he said
Southern Africa and South Asia are bearing the brunt of climate change, said VP Mohadi, yet they contribute way less to the destruction of the ozone layer.
Turning to the economy, VP Mohadi said Zimbabwe has suffered for a long time due to the sanctions imposed by the West in retaliation after the decision to embark on the Land Reform Programme from the year 2000.
"Lots of bad things have been said about Zimbabwe to the extent that we no longer care. We are not liked because in Africa, we are the only country that decided to take back our land.
Vice President Kembo Mohadi with Zimbabweans working in the Congo.
"For that we were regarded as truant and deserved to be punished through sanctions so that any other country that decided to take back land will think twice," he said.
Fast-forward to 2017, VP Mohadi said they sat down and discussed how they could move forward in the face of climate change and the illegal sanctions.
It was resolved that dams should be constructed to ensure adequate water for irrigation even if it did not rain.
This saw the construction of dams such as Marovanyati, Chivhu and Lake Gwayi-Shangani, among others.
"Gwayi-Shangani was mooted in 1912 and since then, all administrations were scared of implementing it but when we came in, we took the bull by the horns and it is now 80 percent complete and it shall turn Matabeleland North down to Bulawayo into a greenbelt," he said.
Investments were also made into the construction and expansion of roads and airports to facilitate the smooth flow of goods to other markets, said VP Mohadi.
Due to sanctions, all the developments are being done using local resources.
VP Mohadi said he watched a video in the afternoon (yesterday) in which President Mnangagwa was saying he will not subvert the constitution by seeking re-election when his term ends in 2028, but said the younger generation that will take after them should love their country and be prepared to die for it.
"We have had our time but we want to bequeath it to people who are committed and prepared to die for their country.
"You are the candidates to run our country. We liberated it, and now fight for economic independence. Forget political emancipation, we achieved it; idzoro renyu rekuti musunungure Zimbabwe economically," he said.
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When the floor was opened for questions, Mr Tafadzwa Dube asked if there could be Special Investment Zones, to which VP Mohadi said they already exist, "unless you say we should have the Chinese model of Diaspora Special Economic Zones".
Mr Dube also said they were being ridiculed over the national team's inability to play home games in Zimbabwe due to lack of bucket seats in stadiums.
VP Mohadi said indeed it was an embarrassment but promised to ensure the challenge was rectified.
Others wanted to know how they can get land while some spoke about the travel challenges they face when coming to Brazzaville and requested that Air Zimbabwe resumes flights to the DR Congo.
On land, VP Mohadi said his office would ensure that there will be a special dispensation for the diaspora so they benefit.
