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Kenias Mafukidze

Oliver Kazunga Senior Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE still has what it takes to achieve a $100 billion economy by 2040 despite signs of slow economic growth the country is experiencing, an official said yesterday.

In 2011, the country set a target to achieve a $100 billion economy underpinned by the need to grow the economy by 10 percent in the next three decades.

KMFS Insurance chief executive officer Kenias Mafukidze told delegates at the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ)annual congress in Bulawayo that although the economy was not registering the required growth trajectory, it was still possible to achieve a $100 billion economy by 2040.

“It’s 34 years after attaining independence and it’s time for us to define our goal. Unless we start thinking of the common goal, we’re likely to be in disarray. We need to start dreaming and looking ahead to shape our own destiny and future,” he said.

“As a country, we’ve what it takes to achieve a $100 billion economy by 2040 despite the fact that the economy is growing at less than six percent.”

Mafukidze said registering the required economic growth rate was also hinged on the implementation of government’s five-year economic blue-print, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-economic Transformation (Zim-Asset).

“If we don’t inculcate ideas of building our future, the present operating environment will prevail even in 2040. But if Zim-Asset is to be implemented in terms of eight percent economic growth, we’ll be on track towards achieving the $100 billion economy,” he said.

Mafukidze said the country should start thinking about how the prevailing challenges in the economy could be addressed.

“As players in the tourism industry, you should start thinking of what contributions you’re making in the tourism industry.

“We’ve the diamonds and gold but if we don’t have the software that is the right thinking, we’ll not go anywhere as far as achieving our common goal as a country is concerned,” said Mafukidze.

Meanwhile, HAZ human resource committee chairman John Chidzomba said the hospitality association would ensure that at least 25 percent of its members’ workforce was trained from registered and reputable tertiary institutions to improve service excellence.