adminRumbidzayi Zinyuke Manicaland Bureau
Manicaland has to work hard to restore Mutare’s status as the historical gateway for Zimbabwe, Botswana and Democratic Republic of Congo, an official has said. Speaking at the Manicaland Investment Conference held in Mutare last week, Provincial Affairs Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the province would not miss the opportunity to transform its economy, attract investment, revive industry and improve social service delivery under the new political dispensation.
“The Manicaland people have taken responsibility and have been deeply humbled and highly encouraged by much of what the President stands for. His announced values constitute the core of our programme for socio-economic transformation, re-industrialisation and rehabilitation of Manicaland’s economy,” she said.
She said there was a lot of work to be done before the province could regain its status as the gateway to regional markets.
Minister Mutsvangwa reiterated the importance of creating a dry port and container deport in Mutare in conjunction with the nearby ocean port of Beira.
“Harare imports goods from Durban, which is 2 000km away when Mutare is only 600km away from Beira and 300km from Harare. So we need to restore the use of this route so that we can achieve all this,” she said.
Special advisor to the President, Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa said President Mnangagwa had made it possible for Mutare to regain its status.
“When the former colonialists used Mutare as a gateway to the region, their target markets were in Europe. But today the most prosperous markets are in China, India, Indonesia and Mutare is the closest to the Indian Ocean. This is a city which is looking at the biggest market the world has ever known.
“So this is your time as Mutare. Think big to make this city a world class agro-processing centre, a world class trade region which produces the food, fruits and nuts that are now needed by this new middle class in Asia. Add that to the European and make the world your oracle,” he said.
He said Government was committed to reviving industries in Manicaland so that they could begin to produce for export markets.
“Goods must be manufactured quickly and if need be, assembled quickly and taken to the markets from Mutare. We want to work hard in Mutare so that we remove the word allocation of resources from our central bank. We want to make so much foreign currency for them that they will have no business allocating funds,” said Ambassador Mutsvangwa.
Online Reporter