Zim is open for business
MARKETING is a concept that involves a lot of lingo, noise, consistence and a lot of followers of the concept — a lot of buy-in.
The catch phrase above has been made famous by the new Government. In all honesty we need the will and zeal at the top to market a nation ravaged by corruption, economic shenanigans, misplaced priorities, weak economic fundamentals and a population that thinks politics instead of economics. But the top doesn’t make a nation. We need total buy-in from all Zimbabweans from all walks of life. Whether you like the catch phrase or hate it, the fact remains re-branding is overdue and now is the time if not yesterday.
As we now enter the global village we need ethos, values that shun isolated ignorance tendencies, stop procrastination, embrace world standards but still celebrate our individual uniqueness and comparative advantage. We have our African ubuntu that we need to tap into as we try to conquer the economic jungle, which is not for the faint hearted. As we open our hearts, our borders and our economy, focus is on how open we are for the business we are chasing? By and large who doesn’t want a future premised on democracy, economic growth, jobs, property rights and human rights?
What is supposed to be open? Is it business, minds, culture, our physical borders or what? Or it’s everything that makes Zimbabwe? Let’s scholarly and critically look at the open for business proposition.
Strategic political actors The head of the nation has been all over the place preaching that Zimbabwe is ready to do business. That is just a simple and easy part to do in the first steps to attract investments as he is the world’s most natural recognisable Zimbabwean ambassador. It’s only natural for Zimbabwe to allow him to convey the message. Suffice to add these messages are both to foreigners and Zimbabwe Diaspora possible investors. The attention has been drawn to us by these phrases and visitations that have been happening. Mark my words, it’s not easy to get attention for the right reasons. Let’s savour this moment and make the most of it by complementing the efforts being made at the top. Strategic economic
actors The buy in has to be from all stakeholders especially the economic players driving the wheels of the economy. We need to be cognisant of our roles in the grand scheme of things because it’s a sums total game. Hoi polloi. From a strategic level the noise has been made but things on the ground are pointing otherwise. There is resistance to change (to create a model of doing business), which is suffocating the spirited efforts by other economic actors that want a change in the way we do business or rather have been doing business. Such rebranding needs the general population to partake in the rebranding to complement the higher level echelons as they form the majority of the economic activities.
No pain no gain Once we open for business we need to toe the line and measure up to international standards of doing business to reason the attracted investments or attention. A delicate balance between giving relevant information, real time and religiously so needs to be struck. Patriotism is not being generous with facts as if things on the ground are different could be a source of frustrations. A nation divided will never stand but united will sure bear fruits.
It must not be about race, political affiliation, poor or rich but a people looking to better their standard of living for a stable socio-economic environment. We desire an attractive Zimbabwe with vital statistics but we need to be “sexy” for investments at close range. Investments are looking for safe destinations for their accumulated capital. They have choices and are looking for any attractive destination and we mustn’t think Zimbabwe is an automatic choice.
Shared vision and mission Ideology might differ but objectives remain the same. The concept of Zimbabwe is open for business is not for politicians only but every single Zimbabwean both within and without Zimbabwean borders. We have to work together and work very hard to achieve an investment destination of choice. The need to investigate the difference between actual and perceived open for business mantra is critical in order to remedy deviations and pursue the concept aggressively. Probably crack the whip, walk the talk, make painful but necessary political and economic changes, streamline policies, shake the business core, energise the tired and awaken the giant in us. Figures never lie and are a basis to gauge, manage and remedy performance at this very crucial delicate time of our economic trajectory. The need to love your own country goes without saying and the promotion of the Zimbabwe brand should be for everyone including just a smile to everyone that comes through our initial ports of entry and when offering services to everyone in the country.
Brand Zimbabwe On a lighter note, let me urge Zimbabweans to also embrace “I am open for business “and a later phrase “working harder together we can “where the President is the CEO of the company called Zimbabwe and all its citizens are shareholders to the same company and are chasing profits through maximum utilisation of resources at our disposal. The mantra Zimbabwe is open for business has to start within as well so that we also offer a service to internal customers because how do you offer foreign investors a service that which we can’t consume and enjoy internally. If it’s not palatable to locals how do we expect that utility to be enjoyed by those coming from without our borders? Time to change the way we do business and we must change before the strategic people get frustrated by attracting potential investors only for investors to be frustrated by our business culture on the ground.
We need to guard against a situation where Zimbabwe is open for business while the functional actors have doors that are shut for business. We can’t afford it at this juncture. It’s not about us but the future of our children and their future generations.
IF YOU LIVE IN BYO PLEASE CONSERVE WATER. IF YOU LIVE IN ZIMBABWE PLEASE USE ELECTRICITY SPARINGLY: SOS ( SWITCH OFF SWITCHES). IF YOU LIVE ON PLANET EARTH PLEASE PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT
Morris Mpala is the managing director of MoB Capital Limited, a Bulawayo-headquartered microfinance institution with footprint across the country.