Vincent Gono

BULAWAYO Governor and Resident Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema said industry in the city is still alive and refusing to buckle under the weight of the Western imposed sanctions, adding that the 87 companies that closed shop do not necessarily portray a gloomy picture for the city.

Speaking at the official opening of Moonlight Funeral Parlour branch in Kelvin yesterday where he was the guest of honour, Ambassador Mathema said it was surprising that while there were complaints of industry folding in Bulawayo, other companies such as Moonlight were opening new branches.

He said thriving in an economically retarding environment characterised by company closures was a sure sign of business acumen and initiative on the part of Moonlight management.

Governor Mathema said Bulawayo’s economic situation was not very different from that of the other cities in the country such as Gweru, Harare and Masvingo.

“The Bulawayo economy is alive. It’s only when you listen to the crying and mourning that those who are failing to remain in business that you feel the whole industry is dead, it is not dead and it has refused to collapse under the weight of the Western imposed sanctions. The 87 companies that closed shop in the city does not make up Bulawayo and we are happy that some are opening new branches. That is a sign of business initiative. The situation in Bulawayo is not very different from that in other cities such as Gweru, Masvingo and even Harare. But what is important is that although sanctions are real and causing most of our economic problems they have failed to kill the spirit of Zimbabwe,’’ he said.

He called on city businesspeople to be initiative and map survival strategies than to mourn and complain saying he had maintained an open door policy for engagement with the people of Bulawayo in particular the business people.

Cde Mathema urged Moonlight to open more branches in the county's growth points so as to serve rural people.

Company operations director Mr Roger Nakhozwe said they needed the support of the people of Bulawayo for them to remain in business. He said the company was there not to make people die but to offer services when death untimely stroke.