The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube Business Correspondent
ZIMBABWE National Chamber of Commerce last Friday took time to honour eight outstanding businesswomen in Mutare their hard-work and steadfastness in their respective lines of business at its annual awards held at the Golden Peacock Hotel.
Ms Martha Vasitiri was the second runner up in the young entrepreneur category while Chipo Chitowa was the first runner up in the prestigious businessperson of the year category.
Mrs Poniso Watema and Mrs Rachael Mugwagwa shone in the business leadership category while Ms Patience Maruni, Mrs Victoria Jakazi, Ms Judith Shadaya and Ms Alma Nzuzu were the crème de la crème in the businesswomen of the year category.
The female winners interviewed by Post Business said they were delighted and humbled to be recognised among the hard-working women in the province.
Ms Maruni, who was the businesswoman of the year and is into construction, said, “I never thought that I would be recognised by a reputable organisation like ZNCC. I am elated and this encourages me to work even harder.
“I think this is also a challenge to other women as well.
They should not look down upon themselves, but believe that what men can do, they can do better.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs, Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba hands over a shield and certificate to the ZNCC 2019 second runner-up Businesswoman of the Year Ms Judith Shadaya (second from left).
Through this award I have realised that a woman can be recognised and stand above the rest. One should be brave and brush aside fears that usually come out when you are about to start a business venture,” she said.
Ms Maruni was born in Mutare and went to St Joseph’s Secondary School before enrolling at Marymount Teachers College. She was a teacher for 15 years and quit the profession in 2004 to venture into events planning before she took over her late husband’s business empire.
She has companies in Gweru, Marondera, Kwekwe and Mutare.
“I was inspired by the hard work and dedication to duty of my late husband. When he died, people thought that was the end of the story, but I soldiered on despite a lot of challenges,” she added.
Another woman, Ms Judith Shadaya who is into gold mining said, “I feel proud of myself to be in this type of business.
“ Culturally, this kind of job is associated with men. In the gold fields you will be mixing and mingling with men only. Besides a lot of challenges, I keep going and soldering on knowing that one day I will be recognised internationally.
“Hardships in life make us stronger. After the death of my husband I became stronger. I was into tobacco farming before I ventured into mining. As a widow, I hustled to be where I am now. I never lost hope,” she said.
Speaking at the business awards ceremony, Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba said Manicaland province was ready to implement the concept of devolution and had lined up various mega projects.
She advised Zimtrade to establish its offices in Manicaland.
“Manicaland is ready to implement the devolution concept in the province. There are many projects that we are confident will be exposed under devolution such as the Sakubva urban renewal, rural renewal, refurbishment and upgrading of grand reef aerodrome, expansion of Forbes boarder post only to mention a few that have been shelved for too long due to fiscal constraints.
“Zimtrade should also establish its offices in Manicaland so that it’s easy for people in business to approach them for exportation logistics.
“Our problem is we have been skilled to be workers not entrepreneurs, why can’t we do more of implementing business strategies and talk less,” she said.
