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Charity Ruzvidzo  Business Reporter
THE Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) will this weekend host a business dinner in Bulawayo aimed at offering solutions to critical economic and labour market challenges facing the country.The business event will be held on Saturday under the theme, “Bulawayo must survive”.

AFM’s spokesperson Mark Ndoro said Christians were taking an initiative to resuscitate local industries.

“Factories have collapsed in record numbers, the Belmont industrial area, once the envy of Africa as Zimbabwe’s industrial hub, has been reduced to a sorry wasteland. As Christians we felt the need to take part in formulating solutions for industries,” he said.

Ndoro said the dinner was also aimed at discussing and brainstorming on how Bulawayo could reclaim its status as the industrial hub of Zimbabwe.

“Empty buildings are now a common sight in Bulawayo’s industrial sites with firms continuing to close, downsize or relocate to the capital for better opportunities.

“Workers have lost jobs; families are in distress and small enterprises are battling to survive. The Christian community feels a need to assist in such economic hardships,” he said.

Hotel group, African Sun chief executive Dr Shingi Munyeza will be the guest of honour.

The Minister of State for Provincial  Affairs in Bulawayo, Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo and the Mayor Martin Moyo are expected to attend.

“We have also invited some representatives of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce and the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries.

“Hopes are that these representatives will pluck out a leaf or two from the presentation by Dr Munyeza and implement survival strategies to revive Bulawayo industries,” Ndoro said.

He said the Christian community was not isolated from the challenges that affect the economy thus it was imperative for Christians to participate in issues aimed at improving the state of the economy.

About 1,000 people from different business sectors and Christian denominations are expected to attend the dinner.

Since the liberalisation of the economy in February 2009, the liquidity crunch has remained as one of the major challenges stalling economic growth, a development that has seen Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector failing to increase capacity utilisation to competitive levels.

Bulawayo, once the industrial hub of the country, has suffered massive de-industrialisation with more than 100 firms closing down in the past few years.