'Investments safe in Zimbabwe'

Barely three days after his inauguration, President Mnangagwa has hit the ground running, announcing that his Government will create a conducive environment where all investments will be secure and welcome in line with his mantra that Zimbabwe is Open for Business.

The President also urged the business community to take advantage of the new Government's re-engagement policies to forge synergies with foreign investors beneficial to the economy.

Speaking at the launch of cutting edge home and business surveillance security products by a Chinese company, Hikvision, in Harare last night, President Mnangagwa said the country should chart new development frontiers in the Second Republic.

Hikvision partnered a leading local hardware and electrical appliance supplier Nations Hardware and Electrical to supply its products in Zimbabwe.

Last night's event was President Mnangagwa's first public engagement after his inauguration on Sunday as Zimbabwe's Second Executive President.

"I encourage business, industry and commerce to take full advantage of our engagement and re-engagement policy and establish mutual beneficial partnerships across the world," he said.

"My Government will continue to create an environment where capital feels safe and businesses can thrive and create jobs for our people and an improved standard of life for all.

"Nations Hardware and Electrical spelt out its strategy as 'Kaizen' meaning continuous improvement, which is the company's thrust towards continuous enhancement and expansion for the ultimate benefit of economic growth.

"I also challenge you in the long run to seek avenues to further our innovations, leveraging on my Government's thrust and drive as espoused in the incubation and innovation framework.

"I call upon business and industry at large to conscientiously support and promote human capital development, start-up and entrepreneurial initiatives that respond to the present and future needs of our country.

"We must, as we move forward, be pro-active, bold and seek to chart new frontiers in our development. Let us all within our respective fields create a deliberate environment where talent is supported and promoted."

President Mnangagwa hailed the partnership between Nations and Hikvision saying: "Nations Hardware and Electrical together with partners should be commended for this collaboration, for indeed it is through such partnerships that Zimbabwe will thrive and achieve Vision 2030.

"Our quest to modernise the economy requires high level security systems. In this regard, CCTV surveillance systems are indeed an important component of any modern society. Not only are these systems a forensic tool, but they can also be integrated with other monitoring devices, alarm systems and access control devices, thus helping security personnel to identify and interrupt security breaches as they occur or even before they take place.

"Initiatives such as this one and the promotion of a broad array of IT applications will cumulatively contribute to the national security situation in the whole country."

Nations Hardware and Electrical managing director Mr Rashid Materia explained how some of the high tech cameras worked to secure premises.

He said their products were a solution to the security challenges faced by businesses.

One of the company's senior managers Mr Islam Jogee said: "Zimbabwe is open for business, to quote our leader President Mnangagwa, and Nations Hardware is ready and has always been ready to do business.

"Nations Hardware is the tools box of Zimbabwe and we not only confining this work to the urban centres. We are actually supplying outside Harare and other towns and cities. The aim is to set up branches in all the towns and cities around the country, thereby becoming truly national. We need to create employment."

The Hikvision-Nations Hardware and Electrical product launch was attended by senior Government officials, Hikvision officials from China and Nations Hardware and Electrical executives.

After the event, President Mnangagwa was presented with a cheque of US$20 000 worth of Hikvision surveillance products to donate to any Government department of his choice.