. . . Captains of industry upbeat

MANICALAND’S business community has welcomed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s victory in last Monday’s harmonised elections, saying it will consolidate the inroads made on economic reforms since November last year.

The businesses’ general consensus was that President Mnangagwa’s win gives impetus to deals sealed so far paving the way for investors to fulfil their part of the bargain.

Tanganda Tea Company finance director and member of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries national council, Mr Henry Nemaire, said President Mnangagwa’s administration had set in motion various initiatives that had to be fulfilled.

“The ED administration came in November and it has done many things within a short space of time to improve the business environment,” he said.

“He has engaged investors who are willing to come in and revive the industries and he has removed the indigenisation law, which was hindering investment. He also brought in a tax amnesty and supported exporters with incentives that made export of local products easier.

“As business we are fully behind the new Government and we are happy that the same administration will continue to improve the relationship between private and public sector. We believe the deals that have been signed will start to come through.”

The business community is also in agreement that President Mnangagwa should deal with the issue of corruption decisively as soon as the new Cabinet is appointed.

“We hope that the President will inject younger and fresh blood into Cabinet,” said Mr Nemaire. “He has to deal decisively with corruption and he cannot do that using old blood, but there is need for fresh untainted blood. Those without baggage will be able to deal with corruption better.”

The same sentiments were echoed in the hospitality industry where stakeholders said the Cabinet needed credible people who would eradicate corruption.

Mr Brian Nyakutomba, general manager of Montclaire Hotel and Casino and a member of the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe, said the new Cabinet had a mandate to deliver results that satisfied the people as they would be under the microscope.

“We expect the President to put in place a strong and credible Cabinet that will inspire confidence in industry and Zimbabwe as a whole,” he said. “The issue of corruption needs to be dealt with. We implore him to employ people who will be able to address this,” he said.

Timber Producers Federation president, Dr Dan Sithole said the industry was looking forward to working with the new Government.

“We are beneficiaries of the Belarus facility, which has enabled us to recapitalise,” he said. “The result of the election ensures sustainability of that programme, which has made sure we receive heavy machinery that makes our production viable.

Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) Manicaland vice president Mr Kenneth Saruchera said business in Manicaland had already set up a roadmap for further discussions with President Mnangagwa on the revival of industry in the province.

“This win by President Mnangagwa will bring about certainty on the political, business and economic fronts,” he said. “He has already articulated that he wants to focus on business more than politics and this is what we need.”

Mr Saruchera said Zimbabwe could not operate in isolation and the efforts to re-engage the international community should continue.

“Zimbabwe is poised for growth and the economy will grow when we work with the international community,” he said.