Tafadzwa Nyikadzino

President of the Business Economic Empowerment Forum (BEEF) Dr Musa Solomon Matsa said Zimbabweans should be considered first in every investment and empowerment opportunity that arises in Zimbabwe as local business people have the capacity to utilize these opportunities for the development of the country.

In an interview with State of the Nation News, Dr Matsa said the country has a lot of serious and qualified business people who can deliver hence it should be drafted into policy that government and private entities should work with local people instead of engaging foreigners.

“Zimbabwe has a lot of opportunities in its mining, agriculture and commercial sectors that should be awarded to Zimbabweans. We want Zimbabweans to be on the forefront in utilizing investment opportunities that arise in the country as this will lead to our personal development as citizens and the country as a whole.

“We believe that local business people with the capacity to utilize investment opportunities should always be given first preference over foreigners, “Dr Matsa said.

He said his organisation has been on the forefront in promoting the utilization of business opportunities that arise in government and private entities by locals, a move which has seen an increase of native business people conducting business in the country’s key economic sectors like construction, energy and mining.

“As BEEF we have been engaging government to consider Zimbabweans first in business opportunities and this has seen local business people venturing into key sectors. For instance, when the late founding father of our organization Honourable Joe Biggie Matiza was the Minister of transport, we engaged him to convince the executive to award the Harare – Beitbridge road construction tender to local companies and we are happy to have succeeded because the road is now being made by local companies.

“I can also tell you that our constant engagement with government has seen an increase in locally manufactured goods in our supermarkets which is a result of more business people being given preference to conduct business, “ Dr Matsa said.

Dr Matsa said his organization is going to take advantage of the upcoming launch of the revised Indigenization and Economic Empowerment policy which will be held in Kwekwe this Saturday to spread the message of giving business opportunities to Zimbabweans first.

“As BEEF we were invited by Government to launch the revised Indigenization and Economic Empowerment policy for Zanu PF and Government and as the biggest empowerment organization in the country, we will take advantage of this platform to emphasize the need of giving Zimbabweans the first preference in business opportunities. We want more and more Zimbabweans to do business and work towards the development of the country,” he said.