Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, [email protected]
VICE PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi is set to lead proceedings at the Beitbridge Business Expo and People’s Choice Awards, scheduled for Saturday evening at Ronnies Arena, about 8km north of the border town.
The event will see businesses, organisations and corporates recognised for their outstanding performance in various sectors over the past year. This year’s edition will run under the theme, “Celebrating Excellence, Recognizing Impact’’.
Organisers say the expo is aimed at promoting a culture of quality service delivery in Beitbridge, encouraging service providers to operate efficiently around the clock. They added that the initiative will also give local businesses exposure to new markets and potential investors.
In addition, the awards are expected to set a benchmark for competitiveness and improved service delivery among companies operating in the town.
Plans are also underway for the long-term development of a dedicated exhibition ground to support the expo, in line with Beitbridge’s ongoing modernisation drive. The municipality has already allocated land for the project, with preliminary works expected to begin soon.
Beitbridge Business Expo chairperson, Dr Anna Muleya, who is also a multi-award-winning businesswoman, said preparations for the event were at an advanced stage.
“We are very honoured and excited to be hosting the Vice President (Dr Kembo Mohadi) at the business awards. In terms of planning, we are now at a very advanced stage and our team is hard at work on the ground to ensure everything is ready logistically. We will be setting up on Friday evening,” said Dr Muleya.
She said the response from the business community had been overwhelming, prompting organisers to move the event to a more accessible venue.
“The response from the business community has been overwhelming to fill up the venue. This year we changed the venue from Zebra Hilltop Lodge to Ronnies Arena to mitigate the issue of distance the attendees would have to travel to and from the event. So hopefully more people will be interested because the venue is much closer”.
Dr Muleya thanked residents for actively participating in the People’s Choice voting process, which was conducted online.
She said the programme would also feature live entertainment, including a band performing during and after the awards ceremony.
The awards, she added, are meant to promote healthy competition among organisations in the town.
“Beitbridge’s finest master of ceremony, MC Sam (Sam Muleya) who is now based in Harare will host the event and there will be a number of entertainment activities supported by a band and many others,” she said.
Dr Muleya noted that organisers had taken on board feedback from previous editions and were working towards delivering an improved event this year.
She emphasised the importance of competition in driving up service standards.
Commenting on the selection process, she said the People’s Choice voting had already been completed, while adjudicators were finalising the remaining categories.
“Now the adjudicators are finalising the ones where they assess organisations and come up with results, so that process is already concluded. We are pleased to note that a number of businesses have come on board this time around and we thank them for such huge support. We are looking forward to having a memorable event”.
The Beitbridge Business Expo focuses on recognising outstanding organisations, including corporates, Government agencies and non-governmental organisations. In some cases, individuals who have made a notable impact in the community will also be honoured.
