Staff ReporterHarare, Zimbabwe — In his first public appearance since being elected, President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa urged the people of Zimbabwe to look beyond the recently held Harmonised General Elections and work towards the collective good of the nation. The remarks were made during the official opening of this year’s Harare Agricultural Show, a key annual event for the country’s farming sector.
The president-elect praised the conduct of the populace in the days following the elections, stating, “I would like to once again commend the people of our beloved country, Zimbabwe, for the unity, peace, tolerance, and love that continues to be exhibited following our successful 2023 Harmonised General Elections.”
Mnangagwa’s call for unity comes at a crucial time when the country is keen to turn a new leaf after the election period. He underscored the need for a collective effort to develop, modernize, and industrialize Zimbabwe. “Now that elections are behind us, let us put shoulders to the wheel with a similar unity of purpose and resolve as we develop, modernize and industrialize our country, motherland to attain vision 2030,” he urged.
The president-elect’s appeal resonated with many who attended the event, symbolizing a potential step towards a more unified approach to solving Zimbabwe’s economic and political challenges.
Political analysts suggest that Mnangagwa’s call for unity serves as a critical milestone for Zimbabwe, a nation that has endured decades of economic decline and political instability. His focus on vision 2030 points to a strategic long-term development plan that aims to make Zimbabwe a middle-income economy by the end of the decade.
The Harare Agricultural Show, which annually draws thousands of visitors, serves as a platform for various stakeholders in agriculture, including farmers, manufacturers, and distributors. This year, the event seemed to have a broader message, thanks to the president-elect: A call for unity and collective action, not only in agriculture but across all sectors of society.
It remains to be seen whether the president-elect’s message will bring about the unity and collaborative efforts needed for Zimbabwe to reach its potential. However, for a nation hungry for change, Mnangagwa’s speech provides a glimmer of hope for a future guided by a common purpose.
For now, as Zimbabweans come together to celebrate their agricultural prowess, the hope is that this spirit of unity can extend beyond the fields and into the corridors of power, industry, and everyday life.
