Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
WOMEN Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, has challenged local authorities across the country to adopt Mutare’s model of women’s economic empowerment, describing the city’s approach as a national benchmark that proves what councils can achieve with deliberate commitment.
Speaking during the fifth City of Mutare Women Empowerment Expo held in the city yesterday, Minister Mutsvangwa said the local authority has demonstrated that councils can play a decisive role in strengthening the SME sector now responsible for nearly 60 percent of Zimbabwe’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“What the City of Mutare is doing shows that women are, not just part of the economy, they are shaping it. With supportive local authorities, women can build sustainable enterprises that anchor national growth,” she said.
She cited the local authority’s creation of women’s clubs, targeted training programmes, land allocations, and new trading markets as examples of practical interventions other councils should emulate.
Minister Mutsvangwa added that Mutare’s facilitation of women’s participation at major exhibitions has expanded market access for small businesses.
“By ensuring that women participate at major national exhibitions, Mutare has opened doors that many small businesses once struggled to reach. These platforms are giving our entrepreneurs real visibility, connecting them to buyers, partners and new value chains. It is a practical, measurable expansion of market access for women-led enterprises,” she said.
She urged councils nationwide to scale up empowerment initiatives, stressing that women’s economic inclusion was essential for national progress.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, said the Expo reflected the Second Republic’s commitment to inclusive development, noting that empowering women is central to achieving Vision 2030.
“These products represent Mutare’s economic future,” he said.
Mutare Town Clerk, Mr Blessing Chafesuka said the programme, now in its fifth year, is growing rapidly.
“We continue to identify talent and support women with land and opportunities,” he said.
