Xinhua
21 Feb 2021, 22:14 GMT+10
HARARE, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean government is determined to revive the once vibrant motor industry as part of its efforts to promote the consumption of local products.
The move will also ensure value chain development, generate foreign currency and create employment.
Tom Sarimana, General Manager of Quest Motors, a vehicle manufacturing company, recently said that the firm has the capacity to meet local demand, the state-run broadcaster ZBC reported Sunday.
"We can produce in excess of 10,000 vehicles and we can employ at least 3,500 workers per day in three eight-hour shifts if the business is there.
"The facility is there and so is the infrastructure. We have also started to make our own jigs as opposed to what we did in the past," he said.
Quest, which started operating in Zimbabwe in 1960, currently holds the franchise for carmakers from China such as Foton, JMC and Chery, as well as for Japanese manufacturers - Mitsubishi and Toyota.
Quest has over the years also assembled Volvo, Leyland and Nissan buses, and currently holds the franchise to build Chinese-owned Yutong and Zhongtong buses.
Sekai Nzenza, Zimbabwe's Minister of Industry and Commerce said the revival of the local automotive industry tops the government's priorities.
"Under the president's mandate for local production, innovation, creation of employment and economic growth, we as the ministry of industry and commerce have taken the president's directive to promote local production very seriously," Nzenza said.
The motor industry is seen as strategic in economic turnaround given its invaluable impact in job creation, value addition and contribution to GDP.
In addition to creating employment, the assembling of vehicles locally is also expected to have ripple effects on the economy since a substantial amount of materials would be sourced locally.
Last year Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said Zimbabwe will soon start to locally manufacture buses for the mass public transport system.
Zimbabwe's vehicle manufacture has been struggling to stay afloat as the government, which is their biggest customer, has over the years shunned locally produced vehicles preferring imports instead.
Besides Quest Motors, other car assembling firms in Zimbabwe include AVM Africa, a bus and truck maker and Willowvale Motor Industries (WMI) with its bus-making subsidiary Deven Engineering.
Get a daily dose of Zimbabwe Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Zimbabwe Star.
More InformationWASHINGTON, D.C.: After months of warnings from former federal officials and weather experts, the deadly flash floods that struck the...
MOSCOW, Russia: Just hours after his sudden dismissal by President Vladimir Putin, Russia's former transport minister, Roman Starovoit,...
DHARAMSHALA, India: The Dalai Lama turned 90 on July 6, celebrated by thousands of followers in the Himalayan town of Dharamshala,...
ZAGREB, Croatia: A massive concert by popular Croatian singer Marko Perković, known by his stage name Thompson, has drawn widespread...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Elon Musk's entry into the political arena is drawing pushback from top U.S. officials and investors, as his decision...
CULVER CITY, California: TikTok is preparing to roll out a separate version of its app for U.S. users, as efforts to secure a sale...
Windhoek [Namibia], July 10 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday received a standing ovation and non-stop applause from...
Windhoek [Namibia], July 10 (ANI): Hailing the relations between India and Africa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the ties...
Windhoek [Namibia], July 10 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday highlighted that during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's...
Windhoek [Namibia], July 10 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi's references to cricket during his address to the joint session of...
Windhoek [Namibia], July 9 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his five-nation tour and departed for New Delhi on Wednesday,...
Windhoek [Namibia], July 9 (ANI): India on Wednesday offered a Line of Credit (LOC) to Namibia, specifically to facilitate the purchase...