Beverly Bizeki
Various presentations held at the first edition of the Masvingo Business Expo have exposed the various gaps and opportunities that the ancient city has in terms of business showing the need for investments in order to make it a business hub.
The expo held at Flamboyant hotel saw the convergence of over 100 exhibitors from around the country discussing on new business opportunities for the ancient city.
Masvingo Local Authorities Forum Chief Executive Officer Alexander, Mutembwa who presented on investment opportunities in Masvingo said local authorities are key in development issues in the country.
“Without local authorities, there cannot be any organized socio-economic development in the country,” said Mutembwa.
Chief among the investment opportunities in the province’s seven districts which was topical at the event was power generation and tourism owing to the plenty water bodies available in the province.
Mutembwa also cited the possibility of establishing a 5MW hydro power plant to feed the national grid in Mwenezi.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Executive Director, Reason Machigere highlighted the need to sweat out the resources in the province citing the underutilization of dams as well as limited number of hotels with the city said to have only 8 hotels.
ZIMTRADE Eastern Regional Development Officer Admire Jongwe said Masvingo can be translated to a greenbelt as it is renowned for its huge water bodies whilst leveraging on the climate conditions.
“Masvingo is renowned for its large water bodies and good climate conditions which are suitable for most of the horticulture products that can do well in this region for instance citrus with a protocol brokered between Zimbabwe and China now in place,” explained Jongwe.
Jongwe also emphasized on the need for smallholder farmers to move to the export market.
