A call has been made for the country’s economic empowerment law to be inclusive through striking a balance between empowering locals and attracting investors.
Participants at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce’s consultative meeting on the Economic Empowerment Bill in Mutare this Friday expressed different views with most concurring that the economic empowerment law should be beneficial to all Zimbabweans and, at the same time, lure investors.
“This law should be able to protect local people who are in business especially the clothing and textiles business that way locals will be empowered through guaranteed business,” said one participant.
“Rentals have to be regularized because they are expensive and small businesses are failing to take off because of such hindrances. For this Act to properly function I think the property rights issue should be looked into.
“More sectors should be included in the reserve sector because times have changed and the locals should be given a chance to tap into big industries like tourism.”
Manicaland Minister of State, Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba said the empowerment law should be in line with the devolution agenda as the people should be equipped to work towards the development of their provinces and the country as a whole.
“Economic empowerment needs inclusivity and it is important to include everyone. People should be afforded a chance to spell out how they want to be empowered now that is empowerment,” said Dr Gwaradzimba.
The thrust of the new dispensation is to have an empowered society, hence the countrywide consultations to enable the majority to be involved in the process of lawmaking to come up with laws that are people-centred
