HARARE – Visiting Kenyan lawyer and staunch pan-Africanist Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba has urged political leaders to prioritise the welfare of their citizens through good governance.
Professor Lumumba said this when he gave a inspirational speech during the Economic Renaissance Summit held in Harare today.
Professor Lumumba, who was the guest speaker at the summit was very candid about the need for African leaders not to be self serving but to prioritise the lives of those they lead.
He reflected on how African countries need to utilise their natural resources wisely for their economic emancipation.
“The continent remains in the shackles of poverty whilst it is endowed with many natural resources,” he said.
Professor Lumumba added that the future of Africa lies in Africans and gave examples of Rwanda and Mauritius where their journey to economic prosperity is being achieved through Afro-centric ideas of their own people.
The summit was officially opened by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi who said Zimbabwe’s leadership is determined to achieve its vision of a middle income country by adopting responsible and good governance.
“The legislative agenda announced by the President sets the right tone for Zimbabwe to achieve the middle income status and upper middle income including the strong stance against corruption,” he said.
The attendees engaged into a frank and open dialogue hoped to shape the economic renaissance story of Zimbabwe.
The Economic Renaissance Summit which was held under the theme, “Taming the Wild for Economic Prosperity” was organised by government tax collecting body Zimra and ZBC as the media partner.