PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday said election rhetoric had derailed full implementation of the Medium-Term Plan (MTP) 2011-2015 crafted to spearhead an effective economic turnaround.
Report by Phillip Chidavaenzi
Tsvangirai, who was speaking at the official launch of the MTP implementation progress report in Harare yesterday, said investors now viewed Zimbabwe as a politically risky country.
“In the last three-and-a-half years, the inclusive government was able to deliver substantially in a number of sectors, but the moment we started talking about elections, there was discord. I trust that the call for peaceful elections will translate into reality because without peace and stability, there can be no development,” he said.
Tsvangirai said he preferred an indigenisation programme based on the creation of new wealth rather than distribution of the little that was available.
“We will have an election and whatever government emerges from the election should stick to this Medium-Term Plan. The Medium-Term Plan is a Zimbabwean development blueprint and is going to direct us until 2015,” he said.
Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office Sylvester Nguni, who represented Vice-President Joice Mujuru, said effective implementation of the MTP would ensure sustainable development.
All strategic plans and budgets, he said, should be aligned to the MTP and there was need for unity guided by the economic blueprint. “Zimbabwe is one of the fastest-growing countries in Africa and we should continue to strive for harmonious growth,” he said.
