Level of ZITF exhibition impresses VP Chiwenga Vice President Constantino Chiwenga (left) speaks to the Managing Director of First Mutual, Ruth Ncube (right) during his visit to the company’s stand at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair yesterday. Listening next to VP is the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Enterprises Development Dr Mike Bimha
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga (left) speaks to the Managing Director of First Mutual, Ruth Ncube (right) during his visit to the company’s stand at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair yesterday. Listening next to VP is the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Enterprises Development Dr Mike Bimha

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga (left) speaks to the Managing Director of First Mutual, Ruth Ncube (right) during his visit to the company’s stand at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair yesterday. Listening next to VP is the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Enterprises Development Dr Mike Bimha

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
VICE President General Constantino Chiwenga (Retired) yesterday said he was impressed by the level of participation at this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) 2018.

He said the attendance was infact the biggest since independence.

This year’s international exhibition clocked 100 percent in terms of booking space, with nearly 500 direct exhibitors and 19 foreign countries participating.
Speaking after touring various stands in all the five halls at the giant exhibition centre, VP Chiwenga said this year’s participation was overwhelming and impressive.

“After this whirlwind tour of the stands I am speechless. l don’t think we have had such businesspeople coming to the ZITF. lf I might recall, since our independence, I was told here that it is 110 percent. In other words, they have had to extend places, make extensions, open up new places and every hall has been taken, every place has been taken,” said Rtd Gen Chiwenga.

“We have an overwhelming attendance to our ZITF this year and we are happy about it. There are 19 countries and besides that, most of our business, established and those who are starting have all come to try and display, showcase what they are doing and this is very important.”

VP Chiwenga said he was impressed by the value addition and beneficiation element particularly by the small to medium companies who are exhibiting at this year’s fair.

“First we have most, from small to medium, to established business who have come to showcase what they are doing and there is a lot especially the small to medium businesses where you have a lot of value additional, where you see a lot of beneficiation,” he said.

“We passed through small craft businesses that are being sponsored by ZimTrade and those SMEs from the various regions from this country including those ones who make honey, they now mix honey with ginger, which has now become medicinal. It’s used as a cough syrup and it’s all natural and a market has been found for them in other countries and they are going to sell this.

“And so there is a lot in the small to medium companies. When it comes to bigger companies, I was quite impressed.”

Among the companies he toured, VP Chiwenga singled out Treger Products as one of the diversified companies offering value addition to various sectors of the economy.

“You know when I visited Treger, which has now expanded to cover all facets of the economy from agriculture to household to green energy. They are making their (solar) panels, they are making solar geysers and you will re-call when we were opening the business forum, one participant asked about being charged duty and yet we’ve got a company here, which is making solar panels,” said Rtd Gen Chiwenga.

“This is good and what is now remaining even amongst ourselves is for each and everyone to advertise what they are doing so that we are all aware of what is available in the country,” he said.

The Vice President Chiwenga began his tour of stands around lunch time and ended the tour around 4PM.

He was accompanied by Industry, Commerce and Enterprise Development Minister, Dr Mike Bimha, Agriculture Minister, Retired Air Marshall Perrance Shiri and other senior Government officials.

VP Chiwenga’s first stop was at the Treger Products stand in Hall 1 where the firm showcased various products from household, building materials and agricultural products. He proceeded to Irvine’s stands where he shared knowledge of the poultry industry. The other stands that he toured include Boltgas, Standards Association of Zimbabwe, Haggie, Office of the President and Cabinet, First Mutual, Zanu-PF Hall, Lupane State University, National University of Science and Technology, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and the Show Society among others.

At the Delta stand, VP Chiwenga jokingly asked for Chibuku. He chuckled: “Where is my Chibuku? drawing laughter from the delegates. Delta communications manager, Mrs Patricia Murambinda said the company was doing well but faced a challenge with buying concentrates for soft drinks due to foreign currency shortages since they import the concentrates from Coca Cola Swaziland unit.

VP Chiwenga assured the firm that it was a matter of time before most investors who left at the turn of the millennium bounced back.

“They will come back. It’s a matter of time. Continue doing well and pushing volumes,” he said.

Rtd Gen Chiwenga spent the longest time at the Zimbabwe Defence Forces stand where the military personnel took time to explain various services and duties of the army to their former commander. The stand houses the Ministry of Defence and War veterans’ Affairs, the Zimbabwe National Army and the Air force of Zimbabwe. As display of operations by the defence forces was done, VP Chiwenga followed closely as they screened Operation Restore Legacy as it unfolded.

Although he did not pass a comment or show emotion, many who were around the stand were left wondering what was going on in his mind. VP Chiwenga also toured the Show Society where he saw different types of cattle in the country and expressed Government’s commitment to work with the society.

Exhibitors applauded Government for the Command Agriculture programme. The VP then toured the Command Agriculture stand where they showcased various crops and mechanisation essential for the successful running of the programme as well as the yield and seed varieties.

At the stand he took time to relax and had maputi and biltong, which he was served along with other guests. During the tour, VP Chiwenga encouraged the exhibitors to continue with the good work and of note was the fact that VP Chiwenga is well versed in a number of subjects as asked pertinent questions to the exhibitors during the tour. He rounded off the tour at Hall Four with a visit to Econet Wireless.

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