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Ngoni Dapira Business Correspondent
MANICALAND scooped the Rural Businessperson of the Year award again at the 2013 Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce national awards held last Thursday in Victoria Falls.
Rusape’s wholesaler and retailer, Mr John Masamvu of J. Masamvu and Family (Pvt) Ltd, scooped the national award joining a plethora of Manicaland rural businessmen that have over the years won the accolade at the national awards.
Chipinge’s Mr Garikayi Nhamo Gwenzi won the award last year, while in past years, Mr Nzukamanzi Gonye (Chipinge), Mr Wilson Kumbula (Chipinge), Mr Brian Nyabereka (Honde Valley), Mr Chezan Bauline (Zimunya-Marange), Mr Francis Dongo (Nyanga) and the late Mr Lot Nyatsanza have scooped the rural businessperson award.
Mr Samuel Tauya of Golly Bakery wrote his own history after scooping the second runners-up businessman of the year award.
Mr Tauya becomes the second Manicaland businessman to get acknowledged at the national awards joining ZNCC national president Mr Hlanganiso Matangaidze who still stands as the only Manicaland businessperson to have scooped the national businessman of the year award in 2006.
The 2013 ZNCC businessman of the year award was won by Bulawayo’s JR Goddard Contracting proprietor, Mr Jim Ross Goddard, while the chief executive officer of Moonlight Provident Associates, Mr Chomi Makina, was first runner-up.
First Mutual Life managing director Ms Ruth Ncube scooped the businesswoman of the year award.
In the corporate social responsibility category, Zvishavane’s platinum mining giant, Mimosa Mining Company, scooped the award with Chiredzi’s Tongaat Hulett and Mbada Diamonds winning the first and second runners-up respectively.
An elated Mr Tauya said it was encouraging to be recognised as a businessperson at national level.
He said this was a sign that he was taking his company in the right direction and all his hard work over the years was paying off.
“It was a great achievement to be recognised nationally. It encourages me as a businessman to aim higher in my aspirations.
“I now know the sky is the limit to achieving any goal. To be placed among the top businesspeople in the country is a great accomplishment,” said Mr Tauya.
Mr Masamvu said the national recognition was inspiring considering how he started his enterprise from scratch up to what it has become today.
“Being acknowledged is always a wonderful thing. But being acknowledged nationally is a great achievement.
“Things are hard in our economy and such awards encourage us businesspeople to continue fighting,” said Mr Masamvu.
Online Reporter