ON July ，2026, when Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the nation on the 105th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), he was not merely celebrating the party's long history. He was explaining why China believes it has been able to transform itself from one of the world's poorest countries into one of its largest economies.
His message was simple: development is not an event. It is a long journey that requires discipline, stability, continuity and leadership that thinks beyond the next political season.
For Zimbabwe, this message deserves careful reflection. Zimbabwe and China have enjoyed decades of close political relations. The CPC and Zanu PF describe each other as sister parties, regularly exchanging ideas on governance, party building and development. Yet friendship should also be a learning opportunity. As Zimbabwe pursues Vision 2030, rolls out National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), strengthens Education 5.0 and debates constitutional reforms under Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), Xi's speech offers lessons that go beyond ideology. It speaks to something every developing nation desires: how to create conditions where development becomes steady, predictable and sustainable.
Development must be planned across generations
Perhaps the biggest lesson is that countries develop when they stop thinking in five-year political cycles and start thinking in generational cycles. China's transformation did not happen because one leader introduced one brilliant policy. It happened because successive generations built upon the work of those before them. Different leaders came and went, but the national direction remained largely consistent. Long-term goals survived changes in leadership because the country treated development as a national mission rather than a political campaign.
Zimbabwe's Vision 2030 is built on the same principle. The vision of becoming an upper-middle-income economy cannot be achieved through one election cycle. It demands continuity in infrastructure development, industrialisation, agriculture, mining, education and technological innovation. Roads cannot be completed overnight. New industries cannot emerge within a few months. Universities cannot produce highly skilled graduates without years of investment. National transformation requires strategic patience and institutional stability.
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This is where recent discussions around CAB3 have attracted attention. Supporters argue that one of its objectives is to strengthen continuity in governance and reduce the disruptive effects of constant political transitions. They argue that countries pursuing ambitious long-term development strategies need institutional stability to complete national programmes without interruption. Whether one agrees with every aspect of the proposed reforms or not, the broader question remains important: how can Zimbabwe create political conditions that allow long-term national plans to mature without being repeatedly disrupted?
Xi's speech indirectly offers one possible answer. He repeatedly stressed the importance of consistency, strategic planning and maintaining focus on long-term national objectives rather than being distracted by short-term pressures.
Refocus governance on livelihoods
Zimbabwe's challenge is familiar across much of Africa. Too often, politics becomes a permanent campaign. As soon as one election ends, preparations for the next begin almost immediately. Political parties return to mobilisation. Public debate becomes increasingly confrontational. Investors become uncertain. Development projects lose momentum. Government attention shifts from long-term planning to short-term political management.
This perpetual election mood carries high costs. Instead of discussing irrigation schemes, industrial parks, hospitals, science laboratories and export markets, national conversations become dominated by political slogans, rallies and endless speculation about elections. Instead of attracting international attention for economic achievements, countries often find themselves attracting headlines about political disputes, demonstrations and conflict.
Xi's speech presents a different philosophy. He argues that development flourishes when governments remain focused on improving people's lives rather than becoming consumed by political contestation. Throughout his July 1st address, he repeatedly returned to the idea that the people should remain at the centre of governance. The purpose of leadership, he argued, is not simply to win political competition but to deliver lasting improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens.
That lesson aligns closely with Zimbabwe's own development agenda. Vision 2030 is ultimately about jobs, higher incomes, better healthcare, reliable electricity supply, modern transport systems and improved standards of living. NDS2 seeks to accelerate economic growth through industrialisation, value addition, infrastructure expansion and digital transformation. Education 5.0 aims to move universities beyond classroom teaching towards innovation, research, production and entrepreneurship. These are long-term projects. Their success depends less on political excitement and more on sustained implementation.
Sustained party strength depends on continuous self-eform and adaptation
Xi also devoted considerable attention to something many political parties around the world struggle with: self-improvement. He argued that the CPC has remained strong and competent because it constantly reforms itself, studies changing realities and adapts its methods without abandoning its long-term mission. Rather than assuming past success guarantees future success, the party seeks continuous renewal.
This may be one of the most valuable lessons for Zanu PF. As one of Africa's oldest liberation movements still in government, Zanu PF carries both historical achievements and modern responsibilities. Liberation history provides legitimacy, but it cannot substitute for effective governance. Every generation judges leaders according to the challenges of its own time. Today's young Zimbabweans are asking different questions from those asked during the liberation struggle. They want jobs, innovation, quality education, affordable housing, efficient public services and opportunities in a digital economy. Meeting those expectations requires constant institutional renewal.
National unity around shared economic goals outweighs partisan division
Another lesson emerging from Xi's speech concerns national unity. Throughout his address, Xi stressed the importance of bringing people together around shared national goals. Development, he suggested, succeeds when societies minimise unnecessary division and maximise cooperation around common objectives.
Zimbabwe can benefit from this approach. Political competition is a normal feature of democracy. Different ideas strengthen public debate. However, competition should not become permanent national conflict. There should be areas where political parties, business, churches, universities, traditional leaders and civil society all agree that economic growth, education, healthcare, food security and infrastructure should remain national priorities regardless of political differences. Political competition should drive national development.
Policy stability builds investor confidence
The international dimension is equally important. Countries experiencing prolonged political instability often struggle to attract investment, tourism and long-term business partnerships. Investors naturally seek predictable environments where policies remain stable, and institutions function consistently. Political uncertainty increases risk, and risk raises the cost of doing business and discourages investors.
China's experience demonstrates how policy consistency can contribute to investor confidence over decades. For Zimbabwe, creating an environment characterised by stability, predictable policies and uninterrupted implementation of national development programmes could strengthen confidence among both domestic and international investors.
Empower youth to link personal ambition to national industrial progress
Xi's message to young people also deserves careful attention. He described youth as the driving force behind China's future and encouraged them to connect their personal ambitions with national development. Zimbabwe's Education 5.0 speaks directly to this challenge.
The country must produce graduates who become innovators, entrepreneurs, engineers, scientists, manufacturers and technology developers rather than simply job seekers. Vision 2030 will not be achieved by government alone. It will depend on millions of young Zimbabweans using their education to create wealth, solve problems and build competitive industries.
Ultimately, Xi's address reminds us that development is not sustained by speeches alone. It is sustained by institutions that outlive individual leaders, policies that survive political transitions and a national commitment to long-term progress.
Conclusion
For Zanu PF, the greatest lesson from its sister party may not be to copy China's political model, because Zimbabwe must always develop according to its own Constitution, history and national circumstances. Rather, the lesson is to cultivate a political culture that prizes continuity over disruption, implementation over rhetoric, long-term planning over short-term calculations and national development over perpetual political confrontation.
If Zimbabwe remains focused on Vision 2030, faithfully implements NDS2, strengthens Education 5.0 and builds institutions capable of carrying national programmes across generations, then the country's development journey will be measured not by the intensity of its political contests but by the quality of life enjoyed by its people.
That, perhaps, is the deeper message behind President Xi Jinping's anniversary speech. Nations are remembered not for how often they argue about the future, but for how successfully they build it.
*Mafa Kwanisai Mafa, is a pan-Africanist political commentator based in Gweru, Zimbabwe.