Arcadia Foundation

The Zimbabwean government has recently opened its long awaited one-stop shop investment centre that is expected to reduce the registration period from the current 50-plus days to only 11 in an effort to reel in foreign and domestic investment long stifled from a paralyzed joint government.

Besides failing to woo investors to the country because of internal coalition bickering, authorities have systematically failed to create a conducive environment for investors because of controversial red tape and indigenization policy.

“The one-stop investment centre is a means to facilitate investment, streamline and simplify business set-up processes, such as company registration, immigration permits, taxation and customs clearance issues, access to office space, access to utilities such as water, electricity and telecommunication facilities and any other requirements of investors, so as to cut on the time and costs associated with doing business in Zimbabwe,” said the Zimbabwe Investment Authority.

Several ministries, including local government, economic investment, indigenisation and economic empowerment, will be under the same roof.

President Robert Mugabe drew laughter from PM Tsvangirai when stating at a conference that “as you know Zanu PF is also a One Stop Political Shop.”

Funny stuff. But as Robert Mugabe closes in on being the 2nd oldest Presidential leader and with his over thirty year tenure will potentially fulfill his claim that in his lifetime ‘Zimbabwe is his’, and with Wikileaks reports doubting the congruency of the opposition, one must wonder if this latest tact from the government will deliver returns in investment through a simpler process, even if it leads businesses through murky, dangerous waters.

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