Govt promotes local businesses

Ivan Zhakata

Herald Correspondent

TWENTY-FIVE percent of legitimate businesses operating in the Harare Metropolitan province are contributing between 51 to 59 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), secretary for provincial affairs and devolution for Harare Metropolitan Mr Tafadzwa Muguti has said.

Speaking at the opening of Eat N Lick’s 20th branch in Harare on Thursday, Mr Muguti said there is need to promote indigenous businesses to ensure economic development.

He applauded the Eat N Lick team for empowering communities through employment creation and contributing to the development of the economy.

“Twenty-five percent of businesses in the province are the ones contributing to the 51 to 59 percent of the economy of the country so we need to support more and more Zimbabwean genuine businesses,” Mr Muguti said.

“Harare Metropolitan province contributes between 51 to 59 percent of the National GDP and this contribution shows that we have a number of businesses that are doing things the right way. A few months ago I asked the Zimbabwe Republic Police and my office, security agents and the local authorities to visit all the businesses within the province.”

He said it was disheartening to note that 75 percent of businesses in the province were operating illegally with some not having certificates of incorporation while others were not paying their taxes.

Mr Muguti said they have engaged retailers to hear their needs as well as understating the business environment they were operating in.

“Two weeks ago we started an aggressive campaign together with the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers where we are travelling across the province to meet our own indigenous people to try and find out what the Government can do for you,” he said.

“We are operating in the Second Republic and we want to see more and more Zimbabwean business people going into business and succeeding. When we come up with our fiscal and monetary policies, it is not because we are good in business but because we are listening to the business community and we acknowledge the discussions the Government is having with CZR.” Eat N Lick managing director Mrs Tsitsi Musabayana said as a brand they started in 2014 and have been expanding across the country over the years.

“In a space of 8 years we have managed to open 20 branches. We are not stopping. As a brand we are not satisfied with 20 branches so we want to assure our customers that it is our desire that we open Eat N Lick restaurants in every part of the country.

“We want every Zimbabwean to have access to the food that we offer, services, the environment and benefits that come with Eat N Lick.

When we are satisfied that we are done in Zimbabwe, Eat N Lick, as a brand, is also going across borders to make sure that we spread the brand,” she said.