adminNgoni Dapira Business Correspondent
MANICALAND businesspersons have been urged to invest back home and develop the province with new investments to replace and support the dying old industry, the Provincial Administrator, Mr Fungai Mbetsa has said.
He said this last Saturday during the official opening of the up-market branch of the fast food chain Golden Crust Eat and Lick in Mutare.
Mr Mbetsa applauded the new development brought by the Golden Crust franchise but bemoaned the death of old industries and called on businesspersons who hail from the province and those in the diaspora to invest back home.
“We applaud what the Musabayana family has done. They have invested back home as offsprings from this land that hail from Munyarari in Zimunya/Marange.
“However, Mutare is now a dying city because of lack of fresh investment.
“We need you to invest home so that we revive the Mutare we used to know rather than waiting in vain for foreign investors,” said Mr Mbetsa.
Hwedza North legislator, David Musabayana who was the guest of honour concurred and said it was important for indigenous businesspeople to embrace the indigenisation and empowerment initiative to steer development and rewrite the country’s socio-economic history.
“At times foreign direct investment comes at a price, so it is important that we encourage each other as indigenous businesspeople to rewrite our own history as successful entrepreneurs in big business,” he said.
Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce past-chairman, Mr Kenneth Saruchera applauded the development as a triumph for the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation.
Mr Saruchera also called for the union of businesspeople that hail from Manicaland. He urged them to forge mergers and unlock capital finances to further develop the province.
“This branch we are opening here is exactly what the President (President Mugabe) talked about in his vision for ZimAsset.
“Indigenous players can create employment and initiate big businesses if given the best possible operating environment.
“Our offspring doing business and working elsewhere all over the country and in the diaspora should invest home and make use of the empowerment opportunities created by Government for indigenous people. Let us unite together and rebuild our province,” said Mr Saruchera.
Online Reporter