Buy Zimbabwe, an organization dedicated to production and promotion of local products and services has taken a significant step towards ensuring the authenticity of local content by collaborating with a local company for local content certification.
In an interview with Great Dyke News 24, Buy Zimbabwe General Manager Alois Burutsa said they partnered with Quality Management Institute of Zimbabwe (QMIZ) to establish a robust certification process that guarantees the origin and quality of products and services produced in Zimbabwe.
By obtaining this certification, local businesses will be able to proudly display their commitment to supporting the local economy and promoting the procurement of Zimbabwean goods.
“As Buy Zimbabwe, we have signed an agreement with Quality Management Institute of Zimbabwe (QMIZ). This is a body that is very experienced in terms of auditing and certifying organizations in as far as quality is concerned.
“They will be doing our local content certification. They are the ones who are going to be embarking on the auditing and rating process. As Buy Zimbabwe we then do the certification after QMIZ has done auditing process.
“We are very excited about this because QMIZ as I mentioned is a very experienced and professional organization that also works very closely with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Amongst their team, they have got very qualified personnel who are able to do the job very well,” he said.
The Buy Zimbabwe boss highlighted that by going through the certification process companies will have the opportunity to apply for tenders and they can potentially get 20% price advantage.
“Through the local content rating process and certification, what we are saying is that, once a company is rated, they will then be able to access government tenders through the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) because under the Public Procurement of Zimbabwe Act Section 29, Zimbabwean companies get a 20% price advantage, but the challenge that was there is that PRAZ did not know which companies are manufacturing locally.
“So through the certification process, you are then able to put that certification onto your tender documents for you to then qualify for the 20% price advantage.
“We are also working with government. There is a national local content steering committee where we are working towards coming up with incentives and benefits for companies that will have attained certain thresholds of local content . In that process you will find that you might end up having things like tax holidays, rebates and so forth . So we are now in the process of finalising that process of getting those benefits come through,” he highlighted.
The collaboration between Buy Zimbabwe and Quality Management Institute of Zimbabwe marks a significant milestone in the organisation’s efforts to promote local content and support Zimbabwean businesses. By providing a recognized certification, the partnership aims to foster trust and encourage consumers to prioritise locally made products and services.
Buy Zimbabwe believes that the partnership will not only boost the local economy but also create a sense of pride and unity among Zimbabweans. It is a step towards building a sustainable future where local businesses thrive and consumers actively support their own communities.
With the local content certification in place, Buy Zimbabwe hopes to inspire other organizations and businesses to join their mission and collectively contribute to the growth and prosperity of Zimbabwe.
