By Flata Kavinga
The Minister of Energy and Power Development July Moyo says the Second Republic has created opportunities for Zimbabweans to participate in all sectors of the economy, with success depending on individual initiative and hard work.
Speaking during the official opening of the Mighty Men Business Seminar in Kwekwe on Saturday, Moyo said government had focused on creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurship rather than selecting individuals to become successful business people.
“You can’t be open for business if you are not creating your own millionaires, businessmen and billionaires,” Moyo said.
He said while government provides opportunities through policy and economic reforms, aspiring entrepreneurs must take the initiative to build successful businesses.
“The burning to do business must come from you. Creation does not mean that President Emmerson Mnangagwa will come to you and say you are now a businessman. It is you who says, ‘I want to be a millionaire,’ and then takes advantage of the opportunities that government provides,” he said.
Moyo cited businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei as an example of an entrepreneur who took advantage of opportunities created by government policies.
He recounted that while serving as Minister of Energy, he approved fuel trading licences for several indigenous companies, including Sakunda, after the sector had largely been dominated by multinational firms.
“I provided the enabling environment but I do not know where the zeal came from. They worked for it,” he said.
The minister also referred to businessman Dr Solomon Matsa and Midlands-based mining investor Shephard Chahwanda as examples of Zimbabweans who had grown their enterprises over time.
Moyo said the “new dispensation” had opened opportunities across all sectors of the economy, including mining, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and information and communication technology (ICT).
He described ICT as one of the country’s fastest-growing sectors but cautioned that emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), should be used responsibly.
“It is good when used correctly as an AI to do your business but if you want to use it for the wrong reasons, it is capable of doing that,” he said.
The minister said government was also pursuing policies aimed at increasing Zimbabwean participation in sectors such as mining and encouraging the growth of small and medium enterprises into larger businesses.
“We want to see small enterprises graduating into medium and then into larger enterprises. We monitor that progression across all sectors,” he said.
Moyo said the growth of local businesses demonstrated the potential for Zimbabweans to build successful enterprises when presented with opportunities and a supportive policy environment.
The Mighty Men Business Seminar brought together business leaders, entrepreneurs, church members and aspiring business people to discuss enterprise development, leadership and economic empowerment.
