Prosper Chitambara said the current speculative relationship between government, CSOs, labor and the business community is hampering progress towards economic progress and development.
Addressing journalists at a media outreach seminar organized by the National Association of Freelance Journalist and Labor and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe in Harare today under the theme “Beyond the enclave: Towards a pro- poor and inclusive development strategy for Zimbabwe”, Chitambara said government should not view private entities and CSOs as vehicles for regime change.
“Strengthened institutional structures will ensure smart partnerships, synergies and collaboration among these critical organs of the nation. Government does not know everything and there is need to build on the competencies of these other critical players if the country is to realise economic prosperity,” said Chitambara.
Chitambara highlighted that although Africa is endowed with vast resources, this had “not translated to equitable distribution of wealth among the citizens.”
He said: ”Zimbabweans are experiencing poverty in the middle of plenty: meaning that there are vast income inequalities which has seen the majority of citizens languish in poverty at the expense of filthy rich barons.
“We can never be so poor if we are able to leverage the vast resources at our disposal.”
Zimbabwe produces more than 40 types of metals and minerals and about 40 percent of the country’s foreign exchange is earned from the export of these minerals. This accounts for 5 percent of the country’s total employment and 7 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.
In his 2013 Budget statement, Finance Minister Tendai Biti, acknowledged that there is a huge disparity in terms of the impact of economic decline among citizens in Zimbabwe.
He said: “There is general acknowledgement among stakeholders of the decline and difficulties that faced our economy throughout the country over the last decade. Of concern, however is the feeling that the sharing of the pain from the decline was not shared equitably.”
Post published in: News