Businesses, consumers urged to work together

Brighton Gumbo Business Reporter
STAKEHOLDER involvement is key in the implementation of a competition law and policy which is effective in regulating market conduct, an official has said.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) legal officer Elizabeth Gachuiri said this while addressing delegates during the inaugural Competition and Tariff Commission awareness campaign held in Bulawayo on Friday.

She said coherence and coordination was essential to curtail restrictive business practices which hinder firms from competing freely against each other in domestic markets.

“All economic policy agents, consumers, policy makers, business community, sector regulators and the competition authority need to work in collaboration for competition law and policy to be effective in regulating Zimbabwe market conduct,” she said.

Gachuiri said the competition law was there to ensure private businesses do not negate the fruits of a competitive market. She said it was important for the government to create an enabling environment for businesses to compete freely.

“The Zimbabwean government must provide infrastructure; including roads, electricity, develop policies, creating and supporting institutions to enforce the relevant laws.”

She said players involded in the competition should however not violate laws, regulations and guidelines.

“The business community should be aware of their obligations under the law and should co-operate with competition agencies,” said Gachuiri.

She said consumers on their part should report unfair trade practices to the competition agency or to consumer groups’ representatives.

The sector’s regulators, she said, should set up working teams to look at cases and inform each other of changes in legislation. Gachuiri said competition authorities should be well resourced and be supported by the government.

“Authorities should provide timely response to complaints,’ she said.

Gachuiri said the competition law was operational in more than 120 countries, including Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Ethiopia.