Kasukuwere clarifies misconceptions

Government would not allow businesses in the city to die.
Minister Kasukuwere visited Bulawayo on a fact-finding mission in which he toured various companies.
The visit was precipitated by reports of the closure and relocation of some companies from the city due to economic decline that the country suffered as a result of illegal sanctions imposed by Britain, America and her allies.
More than 80 companies are said to have closed shop in Bulawayo with others having relocated to Harare citing challenges like shortage of water and viable market within Matabeleland, inter alia, cartels that bedevilled local industry especially during 2008.
In an interview after the Confederation of Zimbabwean Industry co-ordinated business symposium at a city hotel in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce past President Mr Obert Sibanda applauded the minister for coming to see for himself the state of the industrial sector in the Bulawayo.
“What the minister has done is very much commendable. He has taken upon himself to come and see for himself the state of affairs in our companies here and we hope some tangible measures are going to be taken to address the problem,” he said.
Mr Sibanda also praised the minister for managing to demystify misconceptions that some people had on the indigenisation programme.
“The minister managed to allay most fears that people from this region had on the indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act.
“He has managed to address critical concerns that people from this region had on the programme and it is incumbent upon local business people to come together and chat the way forward now so that Bulawayo retains its status of being the industrial hub,” Mr Sibanda said.
The ZNCC past president said the minister was more candid in his explanation that he thinks people are now aware of the Government’s true position on the whole programme.
He also added that the meeting was not supposed to be the last one as there is need for more meetings of such nature.
Zanu PF provincial Indigenisation committee official Mr Charles Chiponda applauded the minister for his deliberations on Bulawayo.
“We are happy that the minister has deliberated on the issue of de-industrialisation of Bulawayo. We hope something will be done as a matter of urgency so that local companies are back on track,” he said.
Mr Chiponda who is also Bulawayo Indigenous Business Association President said as business people they felt motivated after listening to the minister’s presentation.
“We now feel motivated to move forward and grab the opportunities that come our way.
“We want to contribute immensely to the fiscus as indigenous people not to wait for foreigners to do it for us,” he said.
The indigenisation and economic empowerment programme is meant to empower local people who have been disadvantaged for long time.
Under the Indigenisation and Economic Act foreign owned companies must cede 51 percent stake to locals for a period of five years.
Meanwhile, CZI has strongly supported the whole programme but urged the Government not allow lawlessness to rule supreme.
“We are strongly behind this programme but the Government should ensure that there is sanity in the whole process. We do not want ‘jambanja’.” CZI President Mr Joseph Kanyakanye said.