Make 'Buy Zimbabwe' one of your New Year resolutions

With businesses closing down in Zimbabwe, unemployment is increasing and as a result, there is less consumer spending.

During tough economic times, it might have been hard to come up with anything more visceral than the appeal to "Buy Zimbabwe. Save a job."

The time, however, now seems just right to unveil the slogan to start attracting the attention of the population of Zimbabwe because there is need to grow our local economy.

With more job losses and more money going out of Zimbabwe, it is you the reader that will have no job, with no money in the country. No job is safe with less money being spent in Zimbabwe.

This, I might say, also includes the people who are employed in foreign firms too.

When a local company shuts down, this means that a potential Buy Zimbabwe partner has been lost and if a partner is lost then my job is threatened and certainly I would not like that.

What is the real cost of not buying local, you might ask?

Fewer jobs in the country with less money going round, less money going to the place you work, with less jobs and money for you.

I recall a few months ago speaking to a security officer from one our Buy Zimbabwe partners whom I asked if he "buys Zimbabwe" and he responded that the problem was that the products were more expensive (which I might add is an overgeneralisation by the way).

I thought to myself what could be more costly than him losing his job and his family suffering because the company had been forced to shut down.

Years of economic decline and de-industrialisation weakened local industry leaving most firms unable to withstand competition from South Africa.

Now we gaze in amazement as South African business, government, community constituencies and organised labour sign a New Growth Path, a pro-SA procurement accord that will protect South African products from foreign competition within their territory.

For the South Africans the reasons are very simple, it's about their economy and their pride.

However, I think it's their jobs that they are most concerned about.

When Nelson Mandela told the South Africans in 2009 that: "We can change the world and make of it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference," the South Africans immediately took this as a call to action to save their jobs.

Proudly South African re-emphasised the point by saying, "making a difference could be as easy as buy a can of local baked beans".

We all know how years of economic decline and de-industrialisation weakened local industry leaving most firms unable to withstand competition from their South African rivals.

This led to a huge amount of job losses which the country is yet to fully recover from.

According to a report published in a local daily in April this year, only about 850 000 Zimbabweans have paid jobs in the formal economy.

The report goes on to say that this was the same figure as in 1970, despite the fact that our population has more than doubled over the years.

Clearly, we need to walk on a different path and if we do not take action even the words of this article will just become mere talk.

Stimulating our economy really need not be rocket science. For emphasis I will repeat what Proudly South African has said: "It is as simple as buying a can of baked beans."

Now that we are reaching the end of the year and shall be making our resolutions, I would like to guide every Zimbabwean towards a common resolution for a change. "In 2012, I will do whatever is in my power to improve my life and that of those around me and it starts with me buying more local."

We could all begin this festive season, were Buy Zimbabwe partners have committed to providing loyal local consumers with quality products and services at competitive prices during the forthcoming Buy Zimbabwe Week promotion running from November 28, 2011 to December 2, 2011.

As a bonus, the partners have also committed to reward the loyalty through exciting spot prizes for lucky shoppers.

The realisation has been that there is need to add value to the consumers' shopping basket this festive season and it will also be an opportunity for the local consumer to interface with the brands and get to understand them better.

The Buy Zimbabwe Week promotion is an opportunity that no consumer can afford to miss.

So as we draw closer I encourage all consumers to look out for the adverts and promotional material for guidance towards an exciting Christmas shopping experience.

Till next week . . . it's Go Zim Zim and God Bless.

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Robert Garai Muganda is the Media and Communications Executive for Buy Zimbabwe Campaign. Email: robert@buyzimbabwe.org.zw or buy.zimbabwe@gmail.com Cell 0772 714 233 website: www.buyzimbabwe.org.zw