“Nothing could shatter my dream” Oscar Furusa being congratulated by SMEs Minister, Sithembiso Nyoni, while his wife Chipo looks on
Oscar Furusa being congratulated by SMEs Minister, Sithembiso Nyoni, while his wife Chipo looks on

Oscar Furusa being congratulated by SMEs Minister, Sithembiso Nyoni, while his wife Chipo looks on

Lovemore Zigara, Midlands Correspondent
FROM humble beginnings, Oscar Furusa could not let anything shatter his dream of becoming a businessperson of repute.

Due to hard work, persistence and determination, Furusa has worked his way to the top to become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Shurugwi.

Born 34 years ago, Furusa has made a name for himself with business interests in various sectors of the economy, which include retail, property, farming and transport.

He intends to spread the business empire into the hospitality sector. For Furusa, the whole story started at Chachacha business centre in Shurugwi where he worked at a barbershop before venturing into a flea market business. This was after he failed to proceed to A-Level due to financial constraints.

“The flea market business instilled discipline in me and taught me to have savings despite the harsh economic environment at that time, which was characterised by high inflation,” he said.

“That period taught me to invest my money in assets. It was in 2010 that l managed to open a supermarket at Chachacha and the move transformed my life for the better.”

Within a short space of time Furusa said he opened two more supermarkets in Shurugwi and at Mkoba 6 Shopping Centre in Gweru.

“I used the proceeds from the retail business to purchase two stands in 2012 at Chachacha where I built a complex, which houses a supermarket trading under Mr Cheap, a cocktail bar and a nightclub.

“After that l bought another stand in Shurugwi the following year and I built another night club, the second running enterprise under the Club Mzansi banner,” he explained.

Following a boom in the retail sector since 2009, Furusa said he made a decision not to put his investment in one basket and diversified into property and transport.

The entrepreneur now owns five residential properties in Gweru and a fleet of commuter omnibuses.

“You don’t need to invest your monies in one line of business because you’ll not be able to absorb the shocks when anything drastic in the market happens,” said Furusa.

He, however, said he was planning to dispose of the transport business and try his luck in the hospitality sector where he has set aside $500,000 for the construction of an upmarket lodge between Gweru and Shurugwi.

Furusa said he was awaiting regulatory approvals from Shurugwi Town Council and relevant government departments.

“We’re finalising the issue of the location of the lodge with Shurugwi Town Council and once we satisfy all the requirements then we get down working,” he said.

Furusa is also into cattle farming and has  30 beasts in his rural home. The businessman has 34 employees led by Elias Vas Maginga as the general manager in charge of all the business operations. Last year Furusa was voted the 2015 rural businessman of the year at the Midlands SMEs Awards. Furusa is married to Chipo and the couple is blessed with three children.

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