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Nelson Gahadza

Senior Business Reporter

Empowerment lobby group, Business Economic Empowerment Federation (BEEF) has implored business owners to emulate and support President Mnangagwa vision on empowerment, economic development and inclusive growth.

Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, targeting a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society, rides on inclusive development that leaves no one and no place behind.

Dr Solomon Matsa, the BEEF president said Zimbabweans should take ownership of businesses in order to drive empowerment, which in return drives the economy.

“We were given a mandate by President Mnangagwa to bring together authentic business people as it seems real business people are not represented in Government or cycles of Government and businesses.

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“We now have a symposium called Talking to The Listening President, where we go from province to province where business people will have opportunities to engage with the President and learn to emulate what he is doing on empowerment,” he said during a press briefing on Wednesday.

The President is on record on several occasions calling on local people to work hard, innovate and exploit every available opportunity to make money and prosper in their motherland. Since assuming power, the President has actively pushed for the provision of resources, training and policies that promote women and youths empowerment.

He added that the engagements will also afford business owners in the country the opportunity to share with the President their experiences, challenges and solutions within.

Dr Matsa said BEEF was trying to put together people in Zimbabwe and those in the diaspora to discuss issues concerning local business people with the Government.

Dr Matsa said five business conferences are currently being organised and will be held before next year’s elections. These will be held in Bulawayo, Harare, Mutare, Masvingo and Midlands

“These conferences contribute to the running and promoting empowerment. Businesspeople should take development as a priority and no one should be left behind.

“We are focusing on Mining agriculture, tourism, procurement, infrastructure, ICT and transport. As Zimbabwe people, let us focus on such areas so that Zimbabwe can prosper,” he said.

Founded in November 2017 by Zimbabwean business entrepreneurs, BEEF seeks to promote business and economic empowerment of native businesspeople, including citizens in the diaspora.

Dr Matsa said as a federation, they are there to complement Government efforts in reviving, restoring confidence, and resuscitating the Zimbabwean economy.

He said in the last three years, local companies, in particular, those in construction have proved their potential.

He added that most projects in housing, roads, mining, or agriculture are being spearheaded by locals in a move that saves the country millions of dollars.

Currently, more than 340km of the Harare-Beitbridge road have been completed and opened to traffic while construction of the Mbudzi Interchange is also underway.

Local companies contracted for the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme have created both direct and indirect jobs.

The Beitbridge road project was awarded to five local companies Tensor, Masimba Construction, Fossil, Exodus and Company and Bitumen World.

Each of the companies was initially allocated 20-kilometre stretches, but after proving their capacity was expanded to more than 100 km.

Dr Matsa said Zimbabwean businesses should push the local content strategy and ensure that 80 percent of procurement is produced locally by indigenous local companies.