Buy Zimbabwe has called upon local companies to take advantage of the relaxed lockdown measures announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to scale up business activities.
Speaking to Great Dyke News 24, the newly elected Buy Zimbabwe General Manager Alois Burutsa said over the past year Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector has made significant strides in reducing imports and building confidence with consumers.
“You recall that when the lockdown measures began, it was widely expected that Zimbabwe will have a contraction above minus twenty percent and we are glad this did not happen.
“The reason has to do with local companies that have moved swiftly to cover the gap and in the process protecting jobs at a time when covid was ravaging the nation and showing that Zimbabwean companies when given the opportunity can rise up.
“Now that the President has announced the relaxation of the measures, two things are critical. Firstly, companies must ensure that they dominate the local market.
“Secondly, we need to be careful that we don’t fall into complacency which may result in the spike of cases and throw us back to another lockdown,” he said.
Speaking about the plans for this year, Burutsa said Buy Zimbabwe will host the tenth anniversary of the Buy Zimbabwe awards on the 25th of March in partnership with ZBC under the theme ‘Great Zimbabwe brands and enhancing local content’.
Meanwhile Buy Zimbabwe is now the secretariat of the local content steering committee following the passing by cabinet of the local content policy.
A new board has also been appointed led by Munyaradzi Hwengwere who is the chairman.
