adminNgoni Dapira
IT is now 35 years after independence was attained on 18 April 1980, and Zimbabwe has gone through a myriad of socio-economic and political challenges over the years.
Manica Post Business interviewed some of Mutare’s pioneering business people who started businesses before independence.
Back then it was just a handful of distinguished black businesspeople.
Not that black people were small-minded to start businesses but opportunities were limited and the education system was prejudiced to teach blacks to be submissive employees and not employers.
However, as the famous English writer, William Shakespeare, said, ‘‘Some are born great, some achieve greatness and others have greatness thrust upon them’’, there was therefore an exceptional few indigenous players whose destiny could not be stopped.
In Manicaland, there were the likes of Mr Hugh Masara, Mr John Mazara, Mr John Zvinoera, Mr Joseph Sanhanga, Mr Madziro, Mr Nyamhanhindi, Mr Elias Matongo to mention a few, who ventured into business and built their entities before independence.
In an interview, Mr Enock Musabaeka, who was among the first indigenous bus transport operators in 1958, said, before independence, regardless of being a prosperous businessman, if you were black wealth meant nothing as you still faced the same degrading treatment.
Mr Musabaeka resigned from teaching at Old Mutare Mission School and started off with one bus in 1958. He, however, grew his business to a fleet of over 60 buses by 1980 becoming a very influential man in society.
“I remember in the 1970s after my transport business had grown remarkably, I banked with Scotfin Bank (Zimbank) and all black people used to enter the bank through the small messengers door. One day I just said I was sick and tired of being degraded and used the main entrance which was reserved for the whites.
“There was a serious exchange of words with some white folks present, but when the manager came he calmed the situation and after that day blacks were allowed to use the main entrance.
“At Standard Chartered Bank they had already changed the system, but Scotfin was still discriminating black people, which was basically why I protested that day,” said Mr Musabaeka.
He said unlike nowadays where anyone can easily apply to be a transport operator provided you have the capital, back then the process had many bottlenecks.
Applications for operating licences for transporters were gazetted three times a year, while permits from the Roads Service Board were very difficult to get.
Mr Musabaeka, who later became the Mayor of Mutare in 1985, said for businesspeople like himself back then, economic freedom was the greatest gain that independence brought for them.
He said after independence black people attained the right to buy up-market properties and the sky was the limit to venture into any business enterprise.
Mr Hugh Masara, the founder of MasTransport, said several indigenous players were interested in venturing into business, but the Rhodesian government restricted the line of business they could venture into.
“Indigenous people were mostly allowed to venture into transport (buses and haulage trucks) and general dealer shops in the Tribal Trust Lands (communal areas).
“No matter how much money you had, it was a pipe-dream to buy an up-market property as this would upset the balance of power,” said Mr Masara.
An analyst, Mr Tendai Mukarakati, said the anomaly in 1979 had to be corrected where whites made up 5 percent of the population, counting only 4 500 farmers owning about 70 percent of the most fertile land.
He said the agrarian land reform and the indigenisation drive were necessary to empower the general population.
“Like in any historic movement, hard times will strike but indigenisation was necessary to undo the harm done during the colonial era.
“35 years after Uhuru we can safely say economic, political and social freedom has been attained and the future looks bright for Zimbabweans that want to be masters of their own destiny,” said Mr Mukarakati.
Mr Fungai Chaeruka, the son of Ms Marjory Chaeruka, who built Chaeruka Bottle Store at the old Sakubva bus terminus, said he valued Independence Day because of the freedoms that came with it. He said the country was going through difficult economic times but it was important for the populace to see the greater good of what is to come for future generations through the agrarian land reform and the indigenisation programme.
“We are still adjusting after occupying farms and taking over companies. We were also hit by sanctions which crippled our industry. This was all to make us feel inferior and dependent on the West, our former colonisers. I, however, feel after 35 years, Zimbabwe is going to be restored to its former glory as the breadbasket and shinning nation of SADC,” said Mr Chaeruka.
The business pioneers, however, voiced their concern over corruption and called on the Government to deal with the vice decisively. They, however, said Uhuru would remain the best thing to have ever happened for black Zimbabweans.
Online Reporter