PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa must realise that to achieve remarkable rates of economic development is not a stroll in the park. It is not just about carrying a begging bowl all over the world, as there is nothing for nothing in the international world.
By Tendai Peter Munyanduri
Zimbabweans must have been ashamed of Mnangagwa, who showed a high propensity/tendency to beg at the Davos in Switzerland recently.
What he needed to do was to embrace science and technology as a vehicle for economic development right here in his country.
It needs commitment, dedication, individual capability and scientific literacy together with sufficient academic stamina.
There is, therefore, no substitute for him to be honest and man enough to acknowledge failure and give way to scientists and engineers who are more academically gifted in those areas.
His training needs were glaringly visible when he addressed vice-chancellors of universities and also during his meeting with traditional chiefs.
He extended a begging bowl at Davos. We cannot have a President who will go around begging. Countries like the United States, United Kingdom and China are looking for genuine friends .
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If we circumvent the truth, the truth will circumvent us. We need a scientifically literate President who will train, coach and guide the Industrial Development Corporation and embrace science as a tool for economic development.
By begging all over the world, scientifically literate individuals noted that Mnangagwa is shooting in the dark as far as economic development is concerned!
There is need to:
Eliminate corruption by the President and his ministers
Prioritise science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) education and Stem employment in the productive sector to ensure scientific leadership and technological advancement and/or development in sectors of the economy like aeronautical, hydraulics and pneumatics, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and computers and cellphones.
Scientific industries must be headed by qualified scientific fundis at ministerial level
Criminalise the use of spikes by national and municipal police.
Reduce employment in the non-productive sectors eg, the security guard industry, President’s Office, police and army and absorb them in the productive sector.
Ensure accelerated employment creation in housing construction, orchard development, fabrication and welding industries.
Join the Commonwealth family of nations to harvest accumulated benefits of colonisation and improve international relations.
Trim the Cabinet size
Reduce the number of international trips by Mnangagwa himself and members of the Cabinet.
Trim the Presidential entourage
Ensure professional balance in the heads of three arms of government
The Constitution must be rewritten in order to promote optimal and increased capacity utilisation of private and government assets eg, automobiles, offices, farms and industries etc. All laws must pass the national prosperity test before assent. The Constitution must outlaw interviews and psychometric tests and introduce recruitment sciences.
Educate citizens on the disadvantages of democracy and carry out a referendum to ban elections as a method of choosing leaders while ignoring proven educational attainments, talent and experience. The move will save millions of dollars being wasted in value-subtracting elections. Implement productive national service for all unemployed people above 18 years of age.
Ensure more efficient use of inputs
Ensure and facilitate technological innovation and progress in scientific ministries. Follow through visions of people like Daniel Chingoma to ensure the country nurtures and develops the capacity to manufacture its own aeroplanes.
Ensure prudential use of the tax basket collections.
Implement, ensure and enforce industrial revolution by correctly manning the Industrial Development Corporation.
Increase productivity through work automation and mechanisation.
Improve power supply, water, telecommunications connectivity, rail and road network.
Invest in manufacturing, pharmaceutical and chemical industries
Ensure accelerated technical innovations
Introduce knowledge-based autocracy or “one-party State participatory meritocratic government”.
Introduce new products and services.
Deregulation by empowering industry, commerce and individuals
Criminalise irrational reporting relationship in private and government productive sectors.
There must be citizen education on the disadvantages of democracy and then the government must carry out a referendum to ban the foreign practice of democracy and replace it with meritocracy or knowledge-based autocracy.
