FIVE Zanu PF-aligned non-governmental organisations yesterday said they will present President Robert Mugabe with an honorary award in recognition of his role in championing the economic empowerment agenda.
BY MOSES MATENGA
The groups — Concord for Corporate Development, Community Tree Foundation, Youth for Progress Zimbabwe, Bhora Mugedhi, ProEvents and ProCreate and Youth in Transport — said they would present the Zanu PF leader with a Grand Master’s Award on September 3 at a venue yet to be decided.
The award is likely to stir a lot of controversy as it comes at a time when Mugabe’s government is being lampooned over its failure to turn around the economy as well as implement its much-hyped economic blueprint, Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZimAsset).
“The awards seek to honour those taking risks under such difficult economic conditions, and making the country work,” one of the organisers of the event, Ntokozo Msipa, said.
He said other luminaries set to be honoured at the event included the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo, Environment, Water and Climate minister Oppah Muchinguri, Transport and Infrastructure Development minister Obert Mpofu and Tourism and Hospitality minister Walter Mzembi.
First Lady Grace Mugabe’s Alpha and Omega Dairies will compete with Dairibord Zimbabwe and United Refineries for the economic development award.
MDC Renewal Team secretary-general Tendai Biti will battle it out with the late former Finance minister Bernard Chidzero and current Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa in the innovative Finance minister category.
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In the best print media contributor award, Alpha Media Holdings, publishers of NewsDay, The Standard, Southern Eye and Zimbabwe Independent, was nominated together with Zimbabwe Newspapers and Financial Gazette, while ZiFM Stereo, Star FM and Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation were nominated in the broadcasting category.
Other categories include the best political contributor to economic development of Zimbabwe award, where political parties like the MDC-T, Zanu PF and MDC were nominated, while nominees for the best religious contributor to economic development in Zimbabwe award were listed as Prophetic Healing and Deliveries Ministries, United Family International Church and Heartfelt International.
Heads of uniformed forces will also battle it out for the best contributor to economic development award.
