Michael Mhondoro
After formation of the organisation in 2011, Buy Zimbabwe held their inaugural Buy Zimbabwe Annual Awards on December 11, 2013. The essence of the awards is to celebrate the remarkable and outstanding roles played by local companies in rejuvenating the economy, creating employment, generating wealth and steering national pride. The inaugural event attracted close to 250 businesses executives, policy makers and members of the media fraternity.
The 2nd Annual Awards were hosted in Harare on the 17th of December 2014, attracting 400 executives from over 60 companies that competed in various categories. The awards were graced by Patrick Chinamasa, Minister of Finance and Economic Development at the time and the former Buy Zimbabwe Chairperson, Mrs Grace Muradzikwa.
The nation’s driver of the production and consumption of local goods and services hosted their 3rd edition of the awards on December, 11, 2015 where companies got nominated in 13 categories that were up for grabs, with N. Richards Wholesalers dominating by scooping five awards.
Among the awards bagged by the giant wholesaler included Enterprise Development Support Award, Insignia Award, Retailer of the Year, Best Company Award, and 1st Runner Up in Local Procurement Award while the Group’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr Graham Richards was named the Buy Zimbabwe Champion of 2015.
Econet Wireless and Zimbabwe Platinum Mines (Zimplats) took home two awards each with Econet Wreless being awarded the Corporate Social Responsibility and Customer Service Award while Zimplats scooped the Local Procurement Award and the Mining Company of the Year Award.
Among the categories were the SME of the Year Award won by Radio Solutions, Manufacturer of the Year Award which went to Schweppes, Bank of the Year scooped by CBZ Bank, Quality Award bagged by Datlabs and the prestigious Product of the Year Award. Which was won by Bakers Inn White Loaf.
The 3rd edition of the awards was graced by the Chief Executive Officer of Proudly South African, Advocate Leslie Sedibe who served as the legal eagle for the 2010 Fifa World Cup organising committee and the CEO of the SA Football Association during the 2010 Fifa World Cup. Sedibe is the main man behind Proudly South African, a similar organisation to Buy Zimbabwe.
Tomorrow we will continue with the Buy Zimbabwe Annual Awards Story.
