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Brighton Gumbo Business Reporter
THE University of Zimbabwe (UZ) will next year introduce a Competition Law degree programme to assist the country adopt and enforce effective competition law and policy. In an interview, the Competition and Tariff Commission (CTC) acting director Benjamin Chinhengo said this would be in line with the developmental needs and economic situation of the country.

He said the training of lecturers and Masters Degree students at the institution had already been completed.

“In February this year UNCTAD through Professor Simon Roberts of South Africa conducted one week training to lecturers and Masters Degree students at UZ in the faculties of Social Sciences and Commerce for the competition law course,” he said on the sidelines of the inaugural competition and tariffs awareness campaign in Bulawayo on Friday.

“The introduction of the course at the tertiary institution is expected by next year.”

Professor Simon Roberts is the director of the Centre for Competition, Regulation and Economic Development at the University of Johannesburg.

He said the project to train lecturers and students on competition law was on-going and the focus was on universities which offer economics and law degrees.

Chinhengo said they have also approached the Midlands State University (MSU) for training.

“We approached MSU inviting them for training but they never showed up in the February training and up to now we’re still not aware why they chickened out,” he said.

Chinhengo said the project was also expected to reach out to Great Zimbabwe University.

He said the initiative is a new phenomenon to the developing world which is aimed at developing and improving their economic situations.

According to consultations by the CTC, Chinhengo said it had been discovered that the judiciary was not well versed in competition law. He said it was essential for judges and lawyers to be trained on competition law to enable them to handle competition cases fruitfully for the betterment of the economy.