Providence Moyo
Entrepreneurs are not just creating businesses but helping implement key steps toward Vision 2030, said Deputy Minister of Tertiary and Higher Education, Science and Technology Development Simelisizwe Sibanda.
Speaking at the National Entrepreneurs and Business Awards hosted by Youth Network Connect, Minister Sibanda linked the role of entrepreneurs to national development frameworks such as the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), the upcoming NDS2 and Vision 2030. “The innovators and business leaders we honour today are not just award winners,” he said, “they are the chief architects and stonemasons of the Zimbabwe we are constructing. Their ventures are the practical manifestations of our national strategies, turning policy into prosperity.” He also expressed appreciation to the award recipients, describing them as partners in the pursuit of an upper-middle-income economy.
The ceremony, held in Bulawayo, began with welcoming remarks from Mr. Ndarugwa, representing the Bulawayo State Minister. He noted the city’s historical industrial role and its potential for renewed economic growth. He highlighted the importance of industrialisation and strengthening the indigenous economy as components of Vision 2030, and congratulated the winners, referring to them as “the vanguard of our provincial and national renaissance.”
Business development specialist Dr. Nothando Moyo delivered an address focused on the need for collaboration within the business sector. She argued that Zimbabwe’s shifting policy framework presents opportunities for collective progress. “Our progress will be magnified not in isolation, but in concert,” she said. “By leveraging our collective strengths and navigating the policy environment with agility and unity, we build resilient enterprises that can compete on any stage.”
Philimon Nyirenda, Chairperson of the National Entrepreneurs and Business Awards, outlined the purpose and criteria of the awards. He explained that the programme aims to identify business leaders demonstrating sustainable growth, ethical conduct and broad impact. “Our objective,” Nyirenda said, “is to elevate benchmark excellence, to tell the stories of those who are, quite literally, architecting the future. This event is a catalyst, designed to inspire a new generation to pick up the tools of enterprise and innovation.”
Awards were presented across several categories, recognising contributions in sectors including technology, agro-processing and services. Organisers said the programme aims to spotlight the role of entrepreneurship in national development and encourage continued innovation in Zimbabwe’s business landscape.
