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Sikhulekelani Moyo,[email protected]  

COMMON Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) Competition Commission (CCC) and the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) in Zimbabwe have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which is meant to strengthen collaborations on consumer protection in Zimbabwe.

CCC is a regional body established under Article 6 of the Regulations made under the Treaty establishing Comesa.

The Commission’s core mandate is to enforce the provisions of the regulations with regard to trade between member states and promote competition within the common market through monitoring and investigating anti-competitive practices of undertakings within the common market and mediating disputes between member states concerning anti-competitive conduct.

The CPC is a statutory body created through an Act of Parliament, the Consumer Protection Act, (Chapter 14:44). The Act was enacted to protect the consumer of goods and services by ensuring a fair, efficient, sustainable and transparent marketplace for consumers and business.

On X (Twitter), the CCC said the two institutions recognised their already existing collaboration which will be enhanced by the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

“Collaborations such as these contribute to the safeguarding of consumers in the Comesa region,” said CCC director and chief executive officer Dr Willard Mwemba.

He went on to commend CPC for its robust enforcement of consumer protection in Zimbabwe.

CPC research and public affairs manager Mr Kudakwashe Mudereri on behalf of the CPC CEO of Professor Zororo Muranda, expressed gratitude to CCC for its support to Zimbabwe’s consumer protection activities.

Responding to questions sent to him by the Business Chronicle, CPC chairperson Dr Mthokozisi Nkosi said the signing of the MoU between CPC and CCC is a healthy development for the country as it will ensure that the nation leapfrogs and catches up with other countries in the region with respect to consumer laws.

“Because we are not an island but a part of a robust regional block, our consumer laws must talk to the regional laws for the convenience of our consumers as they move across borders,” he said.

“The global and domestic trading environments has changed significantly over time, markets have opened up and there has been a significant increase in the movement of people, goods and services across borders especially within our own region hence the incidence of scams and unfair practices have become more sophisticated therefore hoping that when we implement this MoU Zimbabwe as part of the region is creating an environment where a culture of consumer rights and responsibilities prevail.”

He said such an environment is not only beneficial to consumers but to businesses as well and he said the enforcement of the MoU will assist in regulating the contact of global suppliers of goods and services who come into the region ensuring that market place is fair and just to everyone.

Zimbabwe has made strides in fostering consumer protection which has seen the coming in of CPC which is meant to regulate other consumer advocacy groups and foster consumer rights.

@SikhulekelaniM1