The Sunday News
Micheal Mhlanga
Half-empty or half-full? Face or vase? Big or small? Good or bad?
The way we rejoinder these questions is based on our perception. Perception is the mental faculty that enables us to assign meaning to something.
Nothing has meaning in and of itself — no situation, no action, no comment, no circumstance — nothing has meaning in and of itself. Everything is neutral. Everything.
The only meaning something has is the meaning we give to it based on our perception. How you perceive a situation, regardless of what that situation may consist of or which area of life it is, has a direct impact on the future results that you will inevitably experience as a result of that perception, or more specifically the emotions that are experienced as a result of perceptions that you hold.
First, to ensure that we’re on the same page with regard to what I am implying by perception this week, remember we greeted 2018 with inviting the uncut world to an open Zimbabwe.
Upon assumption of office, the incumbent Head of State and Government, His Excellency E D Mnangagwa’s re-engagement strategy was of nerving the country back into the global economics precinct.
His global visits and invites to both the East and West, something we had long disremembered attracted a lot of doubt on the possibility of a successful foreign policy.
To many, oblivious to the fact that foreign policy serves self-interest first, it appeared as a futile economic revival plan. We had accustomed ourselves to the famous “look East Policy”, not that it was highly problematic, but it momentously limited us from beneficial global exploits. We missed a lot and Emmerson Dambudzo had a humongous task of recreating global perceptions.
Honestly, the first days of the President’s office, subsequently his trips and 100 days attracted a lot of qualm. You will agree with me that a lot of talk shows were hosted to discuss the President’s scarf, misunderstanding of 100 days, his numerously important trips — a lot of the talk being misused time and discussion, perhaps a reflection of lack of reflective thought on national development issues and how we could compliment the man’s efforts in rebranding Zimbabwe.
Perhaps we should have read that many were sceptical of the strategy employed by what has come to be commonly known as the “New Dispensation”.
To summate it all, the new Government spent much of its first 100 days re-imaging perception. They had to subconsciously nudge the much needed global economy whose capital we are in dire need of. What Zimbabwe needed was the world having buoyancy in it, and this could be done by presenting the country anew, procedurally, recreating a perception about the country.
In ZITF we believed
You know what . . . it paid! Mnangagwa’s perception recreation worked. The fruits of the first 100 days have fallen. ZITF 2018 was testimony.
Those who toil in the market understand the language of market and financial reactions and how emotional capital is. When there is an increase of capital institution, it’s a reflection of market confidence. When those institutions appear well organised, it’s a reflection of how the economy is leaning towards normality and certain standards.
The increase to 495+ exhibitors at this year’s ZITF, the impressive Innovators hub, the give-aways (last seen in 1994), and of course the congestion in Bulawayo (a rare sight of beautiful cars) in Bulawayo, sermons how the world perceives us — CONFIDENCE!!!, they are beginning to trust us and most celebratory is how Zimbabweans and its exhibitors perceive the “Brand New Dispensation”, we trust them. It’s good for Business. Now we can safely admit that Zimbabwe is open for Business, isn’t it?
Let me go back to my subject of perception showing you how and why it is important in re-building our economy post ZITF.
Based on how Bulawayo came to life this past week we can conclude that a perception, more importantly your perception of something is an observation, interpretation, or a mental image that you hold with regard to some event, condition, or circumstance.
In other words it is how the world sees us around them that has moulded, shaped and determined their individual perception.
The “life” of Bulawayo as exhibited by the confirmed positive perception about Zimbabwe, could not spare me from reflecting on the underlying realities that the new perception created will solve.
Since one of the critical causes of the high poverty rate in Zimbabwe is the scarcity of sustainable and well-paid jobs, the growth of the manufacturing sector displayed through the Scholastica Innovators forum, Business forum, launch of the Command Livestock, and emergence of foreign and local companies by many of Zimbabwe, which will most likely lead to job creation especially for the youth will contribute to poverty alleviation.
This stems from the fact that in Zimbabwe alone where, over 60 percent of the country’s population is below age 30. A youth in Zimbabwe now is twice as likely to be unemployed when he or she becomes an adult. In addition, the sad truth is that 70 percent of Zimbabwe’s youth live on less than $1 per day and the showcase sprayed a bit of the needed hope for these people.
Considering that industry potentially represents one-quarter to one-third of total job creation in other regions of the world, industrial development in Zimbabwe will most likely create new opportunities, more jobs, and contribute to poverty alleviation.
Arguably, ZITF confirms that opening up for Business will bring about structural transformation in the country, unlocking growth potential, transforming the structure of the economy, and contributing to poverty alleviation.
After ZITF; where to now?
It’s after the extravagant business expo, the youth, the potentially bright young child, the desperate woman and the hopeless man all have re-ignited their aspirations and the fun-fare has reconfigured their perception on national participation.
The world has said yes to Zimbabwe’s plea after November but we are still a long way from there. What is left for us Zimbabweans, the policy makers is to safeguard the impression made and assure the world that we are ready to transact. ZITF did not only provide a business interaction platform, but synergised education and solutions for how to revive home grown solutions and businesses.
For that matter, it inspired me to meditate on Zimbabwe’s way forward, marrying education, skills development and production.
Still savouring the ZITF success in mind, policymakers must emphasise five key drivers of successful rebranding the country when elaborating economic policies. These include:
Human capital: In order to grow and be competitive as we want, the manufacturing sector needs capable, healthy, and skilled workers. Policymakers should adjust the curriculum to ensure that skills are adapted to the market and should include special attention to youth.
Government should revisit education curricula to focus on skills acquisition and build capacity for entrepreneurship and self-employment through business training at an early age, skills upgrading at an advanced one, and better promotion of science, technology, engineering, entrepreneurship, and mathematics as well as vocational and on-the-job trainings.
In other words, they should build the human capital necessary for the industrialisation of the country.
Cost: In order to accelerate industrial development, Government must bring the cost of doing business down, addressing cost-effectiveness challenges such as energy, access to roads, security, financing, bureaucratic restrictions, corruption, dispute settlement, and property rights, among others.
They should also ensure the effectiveness of special economic zones to fast-track the process — Bulawayo should not be for ZITF ONLY.
Supply network: Industries are more likely to evolve in the presence of sufficient or competitive networks.
Government should increase the size of the supply market by easing trade restrictions, integrating regional trade networks, increasing the country’s ability to develop sophisticated products, and lifting the barriers to small and medium-size business growth and development.
Domestic demands: Government should now offer tax incentives to patriotic firms in order to unlock job creation and increase individual and household incomes.
Higher purchasing power for households will increase the size of the domestic market given the rapid growth of the demand of manufactured products.
This increase in domestic demand will also contribute to the creation of pan-African demand, which, associated with the removal of trade barriers as suggested by the African Union, protectionist policies, and subsidies, will help fulfil Zimbabwe’s goal of opening its exits and entrance to business.
Resources: ZITF proved that manufacturers require heavy investment and should be driven by the private sector.
It is high time Government facilitates access to finance, especially for small and medium enterprises, by developing and effectively managing instruments appropriate to the stage of development (loans, guaranties, and ventures funds) in critical sectors.
In order to better attract foreign direct investment, we now should address the poor risk perception that scares off potential investors or sets excessive returns expectations.
We should also mobilise domestic resources, curve illicit flows, appropriately manage state revenues, and invest to stimulate inclusive economic growth.
Beyond and Behind all of that . . .
Yikho khona lokhu!!
