Sikhulekelani Moyo [email protected]
FOREIGN Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira has called for a sweeping review of Africa’s trade laws, arguing that colonial-era tariff and tax rules are hindering intra-African trade and economic development.
Prof Murwira said African countries needed to examine inherited laws and regulations that continued to shape their economies, replacing those that obstructed regional integration and commercial cooperation.
He was speaking in Harare recently, where he was the guest of honour at a diplomatic reception marking Uganda’s 64th Independence Anniversary.
Prof Murwira said African countries needed to pursue trade policies that reflected the aspirations of the continent’s founding leaders, including Julius Nyerere and Kwame Nkrumah.
“It is therefore important that we pursue trade policies that lead to the attainment of the dreams of Julius Nyerere, of Kwame Nkrumah and others. If we don’t trade amongst ourselves, we shall be poor and the result is predictable. Therefore, why would we not integrate our economies, what is the alternative,” he said.
He criticised the continued use of tariff frameworks dating back to the colonial era, arguing that African countries needed to reassess rules established when most of the continent was still under colonial rule.
“Because sometimes the tax rules or the tariff rules that are operational are tariff rules of 1950, are tariff rules of 1945, some might proudly say according to the 1945 rule, and I ask, in 1945, was there an independent Africa except Ethiopia, surely there was no independent African, surely that rule was not your rule and that rule was illegal and that rule is the one that makes us poor, therefore that rule must go,” said Prof Murwira.
He said Africa needed to review the laws governing its economies and remove provisions inherited from the colonial period that were inconsistent with the continent’s development ambitions.
“Africa has everything, what we have to change are the laws that run Africa. We have the people, we have literacy, the resources are there but nations are run by laws, please let’s look at the laws and constitutions that are running us and remove all paragraphs that are before independence,” he said.
Prof Murwira said Zimbabwe remained committed to dismantling tariff and non-tariff barriers to unlock regional economic opportunities, arguing that African countries needed to view the continent as a common economic market.
“We remain dedicated to dismantling tariff and non-tariff barriers to unlock regional economic potential. Zimbabwe, with 17 million people, Africa has 1,4 billion people. Therefore, we should think like that. Our village is a piece of Africa, Africa is not a piece of your village,” he said.
He cited the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as key frameworks for advancing regional integration and trade.
His remarks come ahead of the COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit scheduled for 19 to 22 October 2026 in Harare, where regional integration, industrialisation and the removal of trade barriers are expected to feature prominently.
Prof Murwira also highlighted cooperation between Zimbabwe and Uganda as an example of efforts to strengthen commercial ties across the continent.
He cited the Zimbabwe-Uganda Business Forum held in Harare on 17 March 2026, which was jointly facilitated by ZimTrade, the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency, the Uganda Embassy and the Uganda Investment Authority.
“The success of Zimbabwe-Uganda business forum held on 17 March 2026 in Harare jointly facilitated by ZimTrade, ZIDA, the Uganda Embassy and Uganda Investment Authority established a practical pathway for hybrid commercial cooperation. Furthermore, we are joint members of COMESA, and Zimbabwe is privileged to host the summit on the 22nd of October 2026. And also, the AfCFTA, these are mechanisms of African Unity,” he said.
