adminKudzanai Gerede
THE Consumer Council of Zimbabwe recently launched the Consumer Protection Bill in its quest to protect and ensure that rights of the consumers are catered for. Addressing business and consumer stakeholders at the launch in Harare, Minister of Industry and Commerce Cde Mike Bimha said the country had not had a comprehensive Consumer Protection Act since the attainment of independence in 1980, but mere legislations implemented through line ministries to protect and advance the interest of consumers.
“Although these pieces of legislation protect consumers to a certain degree, they, however, fall short of providing the cover of protection that aims at protecting the consumer’s rights from violation. In this regard, the consumers are being exposed to the wrath of the predatory market which does not hesitate to flout consumer rights,” said Cde Bimha.
The Bill once enacted into law seeks to promote transparent market places for the consumers, provide regulatory framework that foster consumer confidence but also recognise the development imperatives of the Zimbabwean economy, establish a fund for national consumer organisations operations, access to effective consumer redress for citizens and empowering consumer organisations to undertake consumer education and advocacy.
The minister added that the Bill will provide for a Consumer Tribunal Court which will have the sole mandate of adjudicating matters arising between consumers and business.
“When the Act has been promulgated and being implemented, the days of moral suasion between the errant suppliers of goods and services and the consumers will no longer apply since the latter will be empowered and enlightened,” he said.
The Act will be premised at achieving market integrity and transparency which entails removal of unethical and unscrupulous conduct from the market place and competitiveness which involves the removal of practices that limit consumer choices such as segmenting markets by location and brands.
The Bill is now set for eight regional consultative workshops throughout the country for further inputs as they are aware of variations in consumer grievances across the country with CCZ funding the project before submitting it to Parliament for debate and enactment to law.
The Bill is set to be administered by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce once it is effective.
Online Reporter