Non Resident Zimbabweans (NRZ) critical for Zimbabwe Economic revival - Part 5 of 10

Over the last decade hundreds of thousands of highly trained and experienced Zimbabweans left the country for political, economic and social reasons seeking opportunities and safety elsewhere. There have been recent calls for voluntary return of these professionals to help re-build the Zimbabwean Economy. The calls however lack detail and proper planning in terms of how those returning professionals would be absorbed into the economy and into their professional bodies which represent professionals.

The representative professional bodies such as those for accountants, doctors, teachers and nurses have been very silent and absent in developing a credible plan and incentive scheme to re-attract fellow professionals who left Zimbabwe. There is a need for the various professional bodies to step up their approach and be pro-active in assisting the NRZ who may be seeking opportunities in Zimbabwe.

Various professional bodies who represent engineers, teachers, nurses, bankers and other professionals should be at the forefront to inform ,educate and attracting NRZ back to Zimbabwe. This is a natural role for such bodies as they will benefit from larger membership in addition to attracting members who now have international exposure and in many instances have enhanced their qualifications.

For some of these regulated professions such as Law, Medicine and Banking there is need to have information easily and readily available on how one can be registered or re-registered and re-start in Zimbabwe. This information is lacking yet NRZ are expected to flock back in Zimbabwe, this expectation is misplaced and has to be re-adjusted with a view to the reality shown by the lack of focus and initiative by the various representative bodies in being helpful to the NRZ who maybe considering returning or investing in Zimbabwe.

Whilst most people left Zimbabwe in possibly un co-ordinated manner the return can not be the same. Many in the NRZ community have settled wherever they are. This means most would require proper incentives on why one must return to where they once fled, escaped or just left from. This requires that those on the grounds especially the specialized professional bodies representing various professions must put their act together and prepare accurate and detailed on market conditions, trends, salary levels and general conditions of service should one decide to voluntary return to Zimbabwe. This should include any registrations that one may need to practice in their field or any skill upgrade that maybe required to be allowed to practice.

The re-building of the Zimbabwe Economy will require the reversal of the brain drain scourge witnessed over the last decade through various ways. The first and most effective way is to make the qualified NRZ feel welcome and appreciated in terms of what they can bring to the table. It is obviously clear that over the last few years the educational standards have been falling making it much harder for most Zimbabwe Universities to match the previous years standards. This situation can be addressed by re-attracting the NRZ who amongst them have gained new capital, networks, skills and qualifications. The returning NRZ will inject significant capital in the Zimbabwean economy in various forms including skills and financial capital. For this to be done effectively for the maximum benefit information must be freely available accompanied by a credible absorption plan of the NRZ into the current workforce and general economy.


This article appears as courtesy of GMRI Capital ( http://www.gmricapital.com ) prepared for 3MG MEDIA

Gilbert Muponda is a Founder and CEO of GMRI Capital ( http://www.gmricapital.com ). He can be reached at;

Email: gilbert@gilbertmuponda.com . Skype ID: gilbert.Muponda

Twitter ; http://twitter.com/gmricapital

Facebook ; http://www.facebook.com/muponda

Non Resident Zimbabweans (NRZ) critical for Zimbabwe Economic revival - Part 4 of 10

The voluntary return of Non Resident Zimbabweans (NRZ) must be preceded by the creation of the Zimbabwe Economic Opportunity Fund (ZEOF) aimed at providing financial assistance to the NRZ wishing to relocate and invest in Zimbabwe. A series of Conferences on NRZ return and Zimbabwe Reconstruction to solicit ideas, funds and other pledges from the international community partners would be a starting point.

The Zimbabwe Government would be expected to partly contribute financial resources into this fund. The Fund should be structured as a revolving facility offering loans and equity to the NRZ who wish to set up businesses in Zimbabwe. The Fund should be geared towards job creation and increasing Economic productivity.
The Zimbabwe Economic Opportunity Fund would be expected to act as a catalyst towards the stimulation of the rapid increase of real industrial production enterprises in Zimbabwe driven by NRZ.

Currently Zimbabwe’s production capacity is way below 40% and this is likely to remain the case if no serious effort is made to mobilize those sections of the Zimbabwean population who can provide that stimulus. When the GNU was formed there was misplaced optimism that donor floodgates will open and the country would be awash with donor funds. The honest truth is that donor money will not come and resolve the country’ economic situation without a credible plan by Zimbabweans with specific input from the NRZ.

Instead of haphazardly calling on donors and other international partners to pour money into Zimbabwe the creation of a Diaspora specific Economic Fund will create a credible and attractive vehicle to raise the funding needed to assist those who wish to return and invest in the country. There are a few underfunded programs which are offering around minimal assistance to those who voluntary return to Zimbabwe. The funds being offered whilst they can assist they fall far short of the real help that’s required to motivate and incentivize people to relocate. The creation of the Fund will provide a strong safety net which can be used by those who are considering to return to Zimbabwe and venture into self-employment.

Zimbabwe currently requires job creation which means the general call for the NRZ to return needs to be well thought out and ensure that those who return can assist in job creation. Zimbabwe’s unemployment rate is currently above 70% ,therefore it doesn’t make much sense to call for the return of more workers in the absence of clear plans and initiatives to create new jobs to absorb the returnees. he way past this is to create a medium to long term plan which targets which sections of the NRZ should return first and what are the incentives and assistance structures in place.
The creation of the Zimbabwe Economic Opportunity Fund should be an on-going effort to ensure the development of the small and medium enterprises in various sectors of the Zimbabwean economy. Amongst the NRZ there are Academics, Bankers, Lawyers, Doctors, Engineers, Architects and other professionals who are ready and prepared to start new businesses and re-invest in Zimbabwe once proper funding and support infrastructure is in place. These are the critical businesses that are required as they will create employment and boost productivity.


The ZEOF must aim to provide medium to long term funding as well as correct long observed inadequacies in the provision of medium to long-term financing to small and medium scale industrial enterprises. The proposed Diaspora fund must place special emphasis attracting NRZ who can focus on the manufacturing, mining, tourism sectors and services areas which Zimbabwe already possess some comparative advantages
This article appears as courtesy of GMRI Capital ( http://www.gmricapital.com ) prepared for 3MG MEDIA

Gilbert Muponda is a Founder and CEO of GMRI Capital ( http://www.gmricapital.com ). He can be reached at;

Email: gilbert@gilbertmuponda.com . Skype ID: gilbert.Muponda

Twitter ; http://twitter.com/gmricapital

Facebook ; http://www.facebook.com/muponda

Non Resident Zimbabweans (NRZ) critical for Zimbabwe Economic revival - Part 3 of 10

The Government of National Unity has made various efforts and initiatives in engaging the Non-Resident-Zimbabweans (NRZ) in trying to revive the Economy and rebuild the Country. The various efforts need to be properly co-ordinated as part of official Government policy.

Currently it appears the various initiatives are trail and error ad hoc measures which lack formal recognition in Government structures as reflected in various ministries. As a starting point the GNU should have created a Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. The individual so appointed as Minister of Diaspora Affairs would then co-ordinate Government policy with outsiders such as Non Governmental Organizations, foreign Governments and other relevant stakeholders.

There is general need to move from being a talk show and sloganeering to actual implementation which will convince NRZ that indeed the Government is committed to assist Zimbabweans who may want to return to do so. And also assist those who may not wish to.

The creation of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs is an important step for several reasons. Firstly it will provide a central focused structure and systematic treatment of Diaspora issues The are various regulatory and legal issues which need to be pushed through parliament regarding the NRZ ,the Minister of Diaspora Affairs .There are certain issues which are unique and specific to the NRZ and these have to be handled at a Ministriel level and not as a side after thought matter.

It is widely reported that more than 4 million Zimbabweans are now based in South Africa, Botswana, UK, NZ, Australia, USA ,Canada and other countries. This is such a huge section of the population that its issues and needs can not be represented on a part time basis but rather at the highest level possible including Parliament and Cabinet.

As a starting point the Minister for Diaspora Affairs may be a junior Minister of state. This will cut on costs but allow effective policy formulation and efficient execution of Government policy.

Parliamentary seats reserved for Diaspora representatives and nominees is an additional enhancement measure to ensure that Zimbabwe does not lose the NRZ to the countries where they are now based. As indicated above there is need to ensure that the NRZ are not represented in a manner that does not fully acknowledge that Zimbabwe’s Economic revival is partly dependent on the NRZ input. The on going new constitutional reform process must acknowledge the NRZ by allocating 10 or so Parliamentary seats for all the major global geographical areas such that Europe, Botswana, South Africa, USA, Canada etc will each elect an NRZ to represent those in the Diaspora. This inclusive process will ensure that Zimbabwe will in the long term continue to benefit from those who left and may not return to resettle in the Country.

Zimbabwe Embassies must be re-geared to serve Diaspora in as much as it they strive to attract foreign tourists. If harnessed properly with at least 4 million NRZ the Diaspora can single handedly revive Zimbabwe’s tourist sector. The statistics of the number of Zimbabweans out side remains guesswork and this is unfortunate because in terms of planning and policy formulation accurate numbers are needed. A census maybe necessary especially on the number of trained professionals and their specific field. This will assist in assessing how the skills and execution gap can be closed.

This article appears as courtesy of GMRI Capital ( http://www.gmricapital.com ) prepared for 3MG MEDIA

Gilbert Muponda is a Founder and CEO of GMRI Capital ( http://www.gmricapital.com ). He can be reached at;

Email: gilbert@gilbertmuponda.com .
Skype ID: gilbert.Muponda

Twitter ; http://twitter.com/gmricapital

Facebook ; http://www.facebook.com/muponda

Non Resident Zimbabweans critical for Zimbabwe Economic revival - Part 2 of 10

This is the second part of a 10 part series on how Non Resident Zimbabweans (NRZ) in the Diaspora can be engaged and assist in rebuilding and rebranding Zimbabwe .Over the last decade Zimbabwe has lost most of its trained and experienced citizens who left for various reasons including political and economic. During the same period Zimbabwe earned a dubious reputation of being associated with corruption, bad governance and a general negative perception as a hostile place to live and do business. Now there is an opportunity to rebrand the country as a progressive and modern tolerant emerging market. This can start with a formal engagement of the NRZ in assessing how they can directly help the re-branding effort.

The NRZ represent a whole generation of exported Zimbabweans who can use their newly acquired skills, networks, ideas and access to resources to rebuild Zimbabwe and rebrand it. The starting point would obviously be a skills audit and outreach program that seeks to engage the NRZ and assess their skills and their relevance in assisting rebuild the country. There is need to identify who has which skills and where are these individuals. The next step would be to assess what incentives it would take to re-attract these skilled individuals back to Zimbabwe.

The brain drain which was experienced by Zimbabwe over the last decade will take a great effort to recover from. A majority of the Zimbabweans who left were mostly educated at subsidized rates at a great strain on the country’s financial resources. It is imperative then for measures to be developed to re-attract some of these highly educated ,trained and experienced individuals to return to Zimbabwe and contribute in ways they can in resuscitating the Economy.

The skills audit and outreach program should include various specific incentives and measures developed with various Diaspora groups in mind. The Diaspora is a very diverse group with different needs, skills and ambitions. Therefore a one size fits all approach will not serve the nation best. The incentives and programs have to be developed with direct input from the NRZ and their representative groups. These are the best people placed in helping in formulating effective policy.

In the NRZ Diaspora community there individuals who just need a job whilst others are capable of creating jobs. These individuals are equally important in rebuilding the country but the incentive program and the timing of their return to Zimbabwe may not be the same. Others may just want to invest and a lot more would want to travel as tourists and keep in touch with families and friends and their motherland. These differences can be properly outlined and addressed through the use of the skills audit and outreach program.

The modern economy is driven mostly by skill and networking. These are qualities that are abundant in the NRZ Diaspora community. The challenge remains that of an official Government policy which is inclusive and recognizes the critical role which the NRZ has plated and can increasingly play is Zimbabwe’s recovery.

This article appears as courtesy of GMRI Capital ( http://www.gmricapital.com ) prepared for 3MG MEDIA

Gilbert Muponda is a Founder and CEO of GMRI Capital ( http://www.gmricapital.com ). He can be reached at;

Email: gilbert@gilbertmuponda.com . Skype ID: gilbert.Muponda

Twitter ; http://twitter.com/gmricapital

Facebook ; http://www.facebook.com/muponda

Phone: 1-416-841-5542

Non Resident Zimbabweans critical for Zimbabwe Economic revival - Part 1 of 10

On 24 June 2009 I wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Tsvangirai suggesting ways on how Non Resident Zimbabweans (NRZ) in the Diaspora can be engaged and assist in rebuilding Zimbabwe .That letter is available at http://muponda.blogspot.com/2009/06/june-2009-letter-to-prime-minister.html.The debate and discussion on NRZ role and contributions must be continued until all Zimbabweans feel fairly represented and get a fair share of their natural heritage as in Zimbabwe's resources and opportunities to a better living.This must be part of a broader national vision that recognizes that Zimbabwe's diaspora community is permanent and deserves an official role in national affairs.

The Diaspora contirbution debate and discussion must be a unifiying one rather than a divisive one.There are few individuals who have sought to divide Zimbabwean along these lines.A few have mischeviously and mistakenly suggested that those out side Zimbabwe a less Zimbabwean than those physically in Zimbabwe.These views must challenged and exposed as they seek to strip millions of Zimbabweans of their birthright to opportunities and resources so abundant in Zimbabwe.All Zimbabweans are equal and as such they deserve equal rights to things such as voting,parliamentary representation and access to economic resources and opportunities.

There are several critical areas where the NRZ has so clearly spelt out their minimum expectations on how they can contribute and be represented.The NRZ mostly expect the right to vote , dual citizenship and non resident parliamentray representation.This is in addition to obvious economic incentives such as Duty free importation of certain goods and tax credits for any investment set up by NRZ.It is well documented that the NRZ contribute at least US$ 65 million per month in monthly remittances to Zimbabwe.This is a significant contribution given Zimbabe's current lack of access to international capital and financial markets.

There is clear need for Government to formulate a proper Diaspora engagement policy which recognizes that the Diaspora is permanent therefore it has to be engaged socially,politically and economically such that the Diaspora interests are in line with the national vision of building an economically strong,progressive and independnet Zimbabwe.Official political and economic recognition starts with simple things like allowing NRZ to vote and to maintain dual citizenship.This is how Government can trully acknowledge the role and importance of the NRZ in helping Zimbabwe rebuild and prosper.

The Diaspora community must be commended for having stood firm during the Economic crisis and continued to remit millions of dollars which helped to keep Zimbabwe from collapsing into a failed state.Variuos initiatives are under way for the Diaspora to be formally recognized and engaged in efforts to rebuild the country.

This article appears as courtesy of GMRI Capital ( http://www.gmricapital.com ) prepared for 3MG MEDIA

Gilbert Muponda is a Founder and CEO of GMRI Capital ( http://www.gmricapital.com ). He can be reached at;

Email: gilbert@gilbertmuponda.com . Skype ID: gilbert.Muponda

Twitter ; http://twitter.com/gmricapital

Facebook ; http://www.facebook.com/muponda

Phone: 1-416-841-5542 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-416-841-5542      end_of_the_skype_highlighting