BUSINESS REPORTER
Women Affairs, Community and SMEs development Minister, Monica Mutswangwa, will headline the Zimbabwe Chamber of SMEs strategic conference slated for April in Chiredzi, Business Times can report.
The conference,organised by the Zimbabwe Chamber of SMEs in partnership with advisory firm Alinial Chartered Accountants and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and SMEs Development, kicks off on April 8 and runs until April 10, 2024.
The event brings together key stakeholders which include social protection services companies such as funeral, health and pensions, professional services firms (legal, auditing and advisory, contactors, Office of the President and Cabinet and local Authorities, among many others organisations.
Other key speakers include the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare July Moyo, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion deputy Minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa, Ezra Chadzamira, the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Venancio Kurauone, the secretary general of the Zimbabwe Chamber of SMEs, Polite Mugwagwa, the Premier Holdings’ Group Strategy, Marketing and Performance Manager and Dennis Chagonda, the Group strategist at Alinial Chartered Accountants.
The three-day event is being held at a time when the number of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) operating in Zimbabwe is estimated to to be over 4.1 million.
They are the cornerstone of the nation’s economic activities and are notably creating jobs.
Through a number of commendable initiatives, the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, and SME Development has been tirelessly working to grow the capacity from grassroot level upwards through various commendable initiatives.
The partnership with Alinial Chartered Accountants, an SME owned advisory company that is aligned to the national development agenda seeks to work on closing the critical gaps within the MSME 2021 survey some of which are, very low subscription to social protection schemes, lack of decent working spaces and access to general business technical training among a host of other teething issues..
Speaking to Business Times, Kurauone (pictured below) said: This is the first time that all relevant parties for the development of SMEs will gather in one place to discuss and come up the best package that would entice SMEs to formalization, and we are going to achieve that goal. In addition, a framework for creating a virtual SME Special Economic Zone is being examined. As a result, we will working closely with the ministry to make sure that all legislative requirements are captured.
Alinial Chartered Accountants business development manager Last Matema weihned in saying: “What we have done is we have started by the formalisation of the chamber itself such that it becomes a formal body corporate so that it will have the institutional capacity to represent and develop MSMEs into sustainable formalised businesses. Next we are bringing all key stakeholders in MSME development under one roof in a three-day strategic retreat which is pencilled for April 8-10, 2024 at Clevers Hotel in Chiredzi, Masvingo Province.
“The key output of this session is to come up with a proper package that will enable MSMEs to scramble to formalisation.”
To ensure that MSMEs remain at the forefront of best business practices, pay taxes, and contribute to the development of the nation, the chamber is rewriting the story of MSMEs in collaboration with Alinial and the ministry. According to the most recent ZimStats data, more than 60% of businesses operating in Zimbabwe are MSMEs.
