Business Hails Peaceful Elections In Zimbabwe

Republic of Zimbabwe Vice President Joice Mujuru meeting with a delegation of visiting Indian businessmen in Harare. Zimbabwe has been enhancing its economic relations with Asian states., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Business hails peaceful polls

August 2, 2013
Business Reporter
Zimbabwe Herald

THE Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries and its commerce ally, the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, yesterday applauded the country for holding orderly and peaceful elections saying this augured well for business. While CZI noted the process was not exactly over yet, the industrial body commended the process thus far saying the calm, peaceful and orderly polls tallied with its expectations.

Business had been one of the most apprehensive constituencies fearing that any incidents related to elections would throw back the country into a crisis.

CZI president Mr Charles Msipa, who continued the call for peaceful election started by his predecessor, Mr Kumbirai Katsande, said the conditions should continue well after the polls.

“So far it seems the process has been peaceful. That is what the reports indicate. However, it is not over yet until all results are officially announced,” said Mr Msipa.
Zimbabweans from all walks of life voted in the harmonised elections on Wednesday to elect the Head of State, members of the National Assembly and local authority councillors.

ZNCC president Mr Hlanganiso Matangaidze said the election process had been generally peaceful and that this was the most peaceful plebiscite in a long time.

“Although I was not an observer or monitor this is the most peaceful election in a long time. It was good that we showed a lot of maturity. This is good for business,” he said.

And rightly so, the two lobby groups were spot-on in calling for peaceful elections even prior to the holding of the harmonised elections to elect new leaders for the next five years.

While this will certainly confound many critics, especially Western countries who wanted chaotic polls to justify sanctions in the event that their preferred candidates lost, the incoming Government will be ushered in free of any blemishes.

The peaceful election will allow the incoming Government to start the process of breathing new life and sustainable economic growth without worrying about how it got into power.

Zimbabwe’s economy certainly needs a fresh start after appearing to lose momentum in the last couple of years, having expanded at a blistering average growth of 7 percent since 2009.

But lethargic growth in mining and agriculture has forced Government to revise growth prospects to an average of 3,4 percent from the 5 percent forecast last year.

Many analysts have on numerous occasions declared that Zimbabwe’s economic growth trajectory would be shaped by the way in which the watershed elections would be held.

Thus far, the peaceful election process has been the right tonic for new investment needed in manufacturing (US$2 billion) and mining (US$7 billion), which form the backbone of the domestic economy together with agriculture and tourism. Agriculture also requires in excess of US$2 billion over five years to restore production to its old glory.

Peaceful elections are always critical across the world considering that most investors often get nervous ahead of national polls especially those fraught with incidents.