PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is presiding over a dispensation of pragmatism, inclusivity, and citizen-centric governance that has departed from years of economic decline and international isolation, triggering an economic boom.
This is detailed in a 262-page book titled "Standing Against Illegal Sanctions," launched by the President on Saturday at the Museum of African Liberation Village during Sadc Anti-Sanctions Day commemorations.
The book, edited by the director of International Communication Services in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Richard Mahomva, Professor Paul Mapfumo, and Mr Tawanda Zinyama, documents how the Second Republic under President Mnangagwa has repositioned Zimbabwe onto the global stage through progressive, people-oriented policies and pragmatic diplomacy.
The book chronicles how the President, since taking the reins in 2017, has heralded a paradigm shift in Zimbabwe's domestic and foreign policy.
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His mantra, "Zimbabwe is Open for Business," symbolised a break from the past and an invitation to global investors, development partners, and the diaspora community to be part of Zimbabwe's economic renaissance.
Chapter 13 of the book, titled "Zimbabwe's Second Republic: A Dispensation of Pragmatism, Inclusivity, and Citizen-Centric Approaches," underscores this transformation.
"President Mnangagwa's epoch-defining clarion call, 'Zimbabwe is Open for Business,' marked the end of the country's nearly two-decade-long isolationist foreign policy trajectory. This open-minded and pragmatic perspective of engaging all friendly nations has repositioned Zimbabwe as a partner of choice in Africa and beyond.
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- https://www.heraldonline.co.zw/zimbabwe-takes-a-stand-against-sanctions/
"The Second Republic's approach reflects efficient, transparent, and effective governance underpinned by inclusivity and African Humanism. It is a rebirth of a nation reclaiming its place in the community of global nations," the book states.
Before the dawn of the Second Republic in November 2017, the country endured nearly two decades of isolation from the Western world, primarily due to illegal sanctions imposed under the guise of promoting democracy and human rights.
These sanctions, however, were a punitive response to the country's landmark Fast-Track Land Reform Programme, which redistributed land from about 4 500 white commercial farmers to more than 360 000 indigenous households, correcting colonial-era land imbalances.
The resultant economic hardship, inflation, and strained diplomatic relations left Zimbabwe cut off from international financial systems and investment opportunities.
Zanu PF chairman Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and the revolutionary party's secretary for External Affairs Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (left) follow proceedings at the Sadc Anti-Sanctions Day commemorations in Harare on Saturday.
"The West's isolationist restrictive measures were nothing short of economic warfare designed to cripple Zimbabwe's sovereignty," the book observes.
It states that President Mnangagwa's governance philosophy rests on four key pillars: pragmatism, inclusivity, citizen-centric governance, and African Humanism, which have guided Zimbabwe's transformation under the National Development Strategy 1, a blueprint that lays the foundation for achieving Vision 2030, which seeks to transform the country into an upper-middle-income economy.
"President Mnangagwa's administration has demonstrated that inclusive and people-centred leadership can drive economic renewal and social harmony," the book notes.
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"By prioritising self-determination and good governance, the Second Republic has humanised power and made Government a servant of the people, not a master."
Under President Mnangagwa's stewardship, Zimbabwe has recorded steady economic growth, making it one of the fastest-growing economies in the SADC region. The agricultural sector has been revitalised through mechanisation and climate-proofing, while the mining and infrastructure sectors have earned the country billions in Foreign Direct Investment.
The "Zimbabwe is Open for Business" mantra has been more than a slogan; it has been an actionable national vision. Investment inflows, road rehabilitation, energy expansion projects, and increased local production reflect the practical results of this policy shift.
Furthermore, the President's philosophy, "Nyika Inovakwa neVene Vayo / Ilizwe Lakhiwa Ngabanikazi Balo" (A nation is built by its own people) and "Leaving no one and no place behind" has become a rallying call for inclusive development across all provinces.
