MINISTER of Commerce, Trade and Industry Margaret Mwanakatwe says the opening of the Barotse Mall by Shoprite in Mongu is an indication that Zambia remains a competitive investment destination in the region and the world at large.
And there was a near Stampede at the Barotse Mall when the doors were opened to the public.
Speaking when she officiated at the grand opening of Barotse Mall here Thursday, Mrs Mwanakatwe said Zambia has continued to implement reforms aimed at creating a conducive business environment as well as reducing the cost of doing business by streaming business licences and enhancing trade facilitation.
Mrs Mwanakatwe also said Zambia offers fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for investors who invest in priority areas and locations like Multi-Facility Economic Zones (MFEZ), Industrial Parks, and rural areas.
She said Government is committed to delivering development to Western Province.
The mall was built by a local contractor Velos, at a cost of K600 million and it has 16 shops and 250 workers.
“As you may be aware, this government is currently implementing Sustainable Development Goals in partnership with the United Nations. Furthermore, Government is encouraging and implementing the Green Jobs programme in partnership with the International Labour Organisation.
“This , therefore, brings me joy to note that 20 years after Shoprite opened the first store in Zambia, the chain store has created 3,300 direct jobs and a further 1,700 employment opportunities throughout the country,’’ she said.
Mrs Mwanakatwe urged Shoprite to extend its linkage programme with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by purchasing more products from local producers from within Western Province.
The minister is happy that Shoprite is mindful of the needs of the local community by way of donating five wheel chairs and 10 walkers worth K18,000, to Lewanika General Hospital.
Mrs Mwanakatwe thanked the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) for welcoming investors in the area.
“It is indeed exciting to note that residents of Mongu and surrounding areas will be accorded an opportunity to discover a whole new wide variety of high quality and complimentary products under one roof. I challenge Shoprite to source locally as much as possible. I would also like to urge residents of Mongu to rise to the challenge and build sustainable supply chains capacity to supply products to Shoprite,’’ Mrs Mwanakatwe said.
Western Province permanent secretary Mwangala Liomba called on Shoprite to open another store in Sesheke, to reduce on the number of Zambians trekking into Namibia.
And Shoprite managing director Charles Bota said the South African chain store hopes that the residents of Mongu will continue supporting it.
Meanwhile, scores of anxious Mongu residents who gathered at Barotse Mall as early as 07:00 hours almost caused a stampede as they attempted to force their way in and to purchase products which were on offer.
This was shortly after Mrs Mwanakatwe, who was the first customer at Shoprite, left.
Mrs mwanakatwe have you established a supply chain system for locals in Western province, have you put in place quality assurance measures for local producers or are you and your GRZ too lazy to think ahead?? Without these measures , these shops you are opening only suppress local production and serve as a condit for South African goods.
@spaka. What you are talking about hss already been done. You are dealing with a working gvt. You people are 100 times behind what PF has done. That is why u keep thinking the PF is doing nothing. Go to shoprite today and you be greeted by all kinds of Zambian product ranging from vegies, books, drinks, etc. The problem is UPND and HH are both not experienced in running a country. You will be suprised to learn that all your policies have been implemented by PF. Can you please give your manifesto?
A Mumkombwe.
On veggies I can see Zambian veggies. But I can also see bread, biscuits, baking flower and all non perishable goods are from South Africa. How long has shop right been in Zambia and still even a spoon made in Zambia is not found. Ati PF working. Yes on veggies you are working, but veggies won’t reduce the inflation. Even hoes, axes are all from South Africa. All the glass ware is south African including all bottles.
In fact Mumkombwe, to show us how PF is ahead as you claim and is working, I challenge you to name one product that is not perishable or food related that is made or assembled in Zambia and sold in shopright.
Ba Minister aba nabo! Instead of paying CEEC K18 pin and reducing her indebtedness, she decides to give it away! Even if it wasn’t hers, she should have diverted it to pay off the debt of K800,000.00 (though K18 pin would have been swallowed by interest)!
I hate the way you PF greets, with your f11king next bend to west, so f111king annoying, you look like Indians.
More shopping malls…surely having this is not development! Who is the owner of this mall is it shoprite? Shoprite normally leases…what kind of reporting is this? How can you call this development when most products in this RSA shops are imported and profits are hoing to the Boer owners…this minister is one dull lady just last week she was opening a shop…its very sad.
…your friend SA is busy sourcing and establishing market outlet of its products…SA HGV and those refrigerated trucks busy dumping goods and going back to SA empty….SA manufacturing industries kept busy because of these malls…whats there to get excited about….??…what pains me most is the acquisition of SA agricultural products….damn….95% of agric produce sold in these shops are from SA….its high time she started opening manufacturing plants….how do u clog you CV full of opening shops as minister of commerce..??…”during my rein as MoC I witnessed the opening of 10 shopping malls..”…rubbish…and her boss busy flagging off road rehab and prayer house projects….instead of mulungushi textiles or kapiri glass factory….
It makes me cry every time I window shop in these RSA shops when I’m on holiday in Zambia….every shelf roll after roll is stuffed with imported goods and this dull woman gets excited by jobs for casual workers. Its instead of promoting produce grown in Zambia they are there ignorantly cutting ribbons…if these stores say our produce is not consistent then make them work with our farmers to do it like they do in Europe; even a simple thing such as black polish is imported from Kenya. I don’t think the West Africans like Ghana and Nigeria tolerate this rubbish from Shoprite.
Nothing is made or assembled in Zambia under PF. At least RB was trying to open mobile phone and computer assembly plants. Ba PF only know how to borrow, it is easier for them to steal from borrowed monies using their tu ma companies contracted to do anything where there is borrowed manee. Pushing for manufacturing and assembly plants is too complicated and hard work for them and their are no opportunities for them too steal through their companies..
I have to scratch my head here, please be realistic in your demands. Setting up successful Manufacturing industry in Zambia is affected by how competitive our goods can be on the International Market, Demand and Supply. Can we effectively produce goods that can beat the composition in those Markets. We have attempted Manufacturing before in KK’s time, he banned/limited foreign imports, we had Textiles Factories. Once we had been assembling fiat Cars in Livingstone. Those textiles we have attempted to resuscitate but Zambians always prefer foreign cloth and they folded. Ask Shultz and his big mouth if he can convince USA to allow Zambian a Cotton into USA and you most certainly find they will refuse as their own producers are over producing already. USA has a healthy share of…
so ba Lungu banayopa ija threat kuti abwere ku bulozi…..mmmmmm?
……. of Cotton Market. Can we enter into that Market and compete effectively, that’s the issue with all these manufacturing demands.
On the whole there is no entrepreneurial efforts in the mould of Shoprite by local millionaires, because that is where we can sell our local goods limiting imported goods. It’s not the gov’t folks! Zambians are brain-uddled, it can’t be given to you on a copper spoon as Guy Scott says. BUY Zambian always. Shoprite thrives because you shop there fore your Cornflakes because you refuse to eat Maize Porridge as HE Dr KK said in the 70’s. A lot of Zambian women in pictures here are wearing Nigerian cloth because Zambians lack self consideration, hence Kafuwe, Mulungushi Textiles folded. Stop braying out loud lies here. More of the PATRIOTIC…
…SPIRIT required. We need to understand our Manufacturing history to study the failures. To be successful Manufacturing economy, we need to produce Competitive goods which appeal on the Market. What is our Niche?
Patriot Abroad
it takes a concerted effort by GRZ to encourage buy Zambian This has never happened with PF.
All they do is leave it to the private sector.
On textiles how come Swaziland, Lesotho. kenya, Tanzania among other are able to export textiles to foreign markets. Infact i saw jeans that were made in Lesotho in the UK the other month.
it is not only textiles, solar geysers which are simple copper contraptions are all imported. all bottles and glass ware used in Zambia are imported.
no no no PF GRZ have no agenda.
@Spaka
In the time of KK when you probably weren’t born, the gov’t imposed a BUY Zambian and banned a lot of foreign good because Zambians refuse to buy local. People complained and hopped onto trains to Zimbabwe! What stops folks from buying from other Zambian shops? Go to the market and ask where the goods were sourced. Just because Shoprite opens doors does not mean you go there. Also, there has to be trade with our neihbours. They buy, we buy. So we sell them Maize and allow them in to invest, that’s part of a Trading relationships.
Also what about being near entrants into the Market. Can we produce good enough goods to compete in the other things you mention? Does the new push for Manufacturers not require new buildings infrastructure meaning big time Loans to lend for purchase of machines(more national debt). A lot of Western citizens are excellent in Crafts and saturate the market with well made goods. Can we compete, in quality of our products? Is there a demand for our Zambian Goods? Of course it’s easy to say things but we need craftsmen/women to be innovative to create Demand for our supply.
Patriot abroad
I remember KK reign well. Nothing is made in Zambia. Even local Zambian shops stock Chinese and south African goods. Even a simple mouse trap is imported. This GRZ is doing nothing apart from window dressing on the subject of manufacture. Even western governments have import restrictions to protect local industries. In Zambia it is free for all to import.
So Shop Rite has finally managed to move to the town centre from the outskirt of town. The taxi drivers’ loss of revenue from bookings will translate into more money in people’s pockets. The local traders will also lose out as they cannot compete with Shop Rite just like Zambian traders lost out when KK introduced parastatals even in baking bread. Such is life.