News / Local
King Cobra set to officially open ZITF
22 Mar 2012 at 04:59hrs | Views
ZAMBIA President Michael Sata will officially open this year's Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), Industry and Commerce Minister Professor Welshman Ncube said yesterday.
ZITF has reverted to inviting presidents to open the trade exhibition a year after it announced that it was going for renowned business people.
Last year, Import and Export Bank (Afreximbank) president Jean Louis Ekra was the guest of honor, in a move aimed at making the exhibition a true business platform.
Industry and Commerce Minister Professor Welshman Ncube confirned that Sata has been invited.
The 53th annual exhibition would run under the theme "Investing Locally, Reaping Globally" from 24 to 28 April.
In the past decade nearly all leaders of southern African countries have officiated at the fair.
Distinguished personalities who include former South African President Thabo Mbeki, King Mswati III of Swaziland, former Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former Namibian president Sam Nujoma, Zambian President Rupiah Banda, Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, have all officially opened the trade fair in previous years.
President Mugabe opened the inaugural trade fair in independent Zimbabwe in 1980 when he was still Prime Minister before subsequently opening several other fairs in between.
Sata, a fiery populist who has exploited discontent with government economic policies to land the presidency last year is a strong supporter of President Mugabe.
Last year, Sata known locally as "King Cobra", rejected notions that Mugabe was mistaken to have seized white-owned commercial farms to give to landless blacks, a policy many economists say has helped drive once-prosperous Zimbabwe to its knees.
"Mugabe hasn't done anything wrong. It is the imperialists, the capitalist roaders who say he is a villain," Sata said.
ZITF has reverted to inviting presidents to open the trade exhibition a year after it announced that it was going for renowned business people.
Last year, Import and Export Bank (Afreximbank) president Jean Louis Ekra was the guest of honor, in a move aimed at making the exhibition a true business platform.
Industry and Commerce Minister Professor Welshman Ncube confirned that Sata has been invited.
The 53th annual exhibition would run under the theme "Investing Locally, Reaping Globally" from 24 to 28 April.
Distinguished personalities who include former South African President Thabo Mbeki, King Mswati III of Swaziland, former Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former Namibian president Sam Nujoma, Zambian President Rupiah Banda, Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, have all officially opened the trade fair in previous years.
President Mugabe opened the inaugural trade fair in independent Zimbabwe in 1980 when he was still Prime Minister before subsequently opening several other fairs in between.
Sata, a fiery populist who has exploited discontent with government economic policies to land the presidency last year is a strong supporter of President Mugabe.
Last year, Sata known locally as "King Cobra", rejected notions that Mugabe was mistaken to have seized white-owned commercial farms to give to landless blacks, a policy many economists say has helped drive once-prosperous Zimbabwe to its knees.
"Mugabe hasn't done anything wrong. It is the imperialists, the capitalist roaders who say he is a villain," Sata said.
Source - ZITF
