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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
LOCAL authorities have been challenged to rope in the informal sector in their areas to implement the Devolution Agenda.

The Second Republic is implementing the Devolution Agenda where power and decision making has been decentralised to local communities.

There are concerns however about sidelining of the informal sector despite it commanding a significant share of the country’s economy.

Participants at the 5th Responsible Business Summit organised by the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Network Zimbabwe here said there is a significant amount of revenue circulating in the informal sector which can be tapped into through value addition and partnerships.

Participants implored Government and local authorities to bring the informal sector on board saying its high time the sector is looked at as the country’s biggest customers and partners.

Countries that have partnered the informal sector have done well in their economies, participants said, adding that authorities should stop looking at the informal sector as a nuisance but start taking them as partners.

Women’s Microfinance Bank chief executive Dr Mandas Marikanda said local authorities have the potential to drive the economy.

She implored citizens not to mourn about the effects of Covid-19 but to cherish the opportunities brought about by the pandemic.

“Every district has resources which can be transformed into wealth through value addition as we embrace the devolution concept. As Zimbabwe drives the 2030 vision, state enterprises, private sector and non-governmental organisations have been working towards implementing Sustainable Development Goals but Covid-19 affected all facets of society,” said Dr Marikanda.

She said after the lockdown no-one should go to town for services and goods.

“The informal sector was not considered an essential service but with Covid-19 people had to think outside the box and started producing at home as we saw import substitutions coming through. So, what needs to be supported through CSR is the issue of impact and identifying Government strategies like devolution because there are opportunities in rural district councils and the communities considering the resources we have. All we need is to build value chains within each district which can be exported to other districts,” said Dr Marikanda.

She challenged youth and young women to grab available opportunities.

Dr Marikanda said a thin line divides SDGs and Vision 2030.

“The informal sector is the majority hence vendors should be embraced and sanitised through new policies that don’t look at them as informal. Let’s identify and partner them. Local authorities should not demonise vendors but partner them,” said Dr Marikanda.

CSR Network Zimbabwe executive director Mr Willard Razawo said the CSR initiative seeks to encourage environmentally responsible businesses and stewardship.

CSR Network Zimbabwe was established in 2015 to act as a platform for companies to share best practices in corporate social responsibility.

“The platform seeks to encourage companies to take responsibility of their actions in communities through sustainable activities for a sustainable future. We would want to see local authorities engaging the informal sector because these are entrepreneurs, let’s not take them as vendors as they are contributing sustainably to national development. Councils should open up facilities that can be used by the informal sector to realise their full potential,” he said.

The meeting which ends on Friday is being attended by company executives and shareholders, local authorities and representitives of financial institutions.

In his welcome remarks, Victoria Falls Mayor Councillor Somvelo Dlamini challenged the private sector to partner Government in its development agenda.

He said Victoria Falls will continue to offer services that meet Government’s vision of an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Professor Paul Mavima will officially open the meeting today.

This year’s theme is: “Responsible corporate in times of adversity and economic transformation.”
-@ncubeleon