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Ken Sharpe, a case of downtrodden grace
Zisunko Ndlovu
September 14, 2012

Recently, I penned an article called "Whose mandate is development?" Whilst this posed as a question cast in everyone-s pond, it meant to be a ratiocination for constructive debate and discourse, in a number of platforms and forums and in a number of ways and sense. Recently, Mr. Ken Sharpe of West Properties has been the page maker in the local media where the media had found "news worth writing about and a quick business turn around".

That soon culminated into yet another article that was appellated "Development has no political allegiance".

Term my literary repertoires vitriolic and acerbic, but ponder too on the necessity of its importance.

While we should rethink this, it is ideal that we see this as a thing worth an interrogation, how much is this hype of negation costing the country. It so now looks like any act of national importance should only be tested and validated on political scales and that is not particular to the constitution making process only or any other closely similar projects but to the broad development radar.

As an eking country that needs an approximated 14, 7 billion United States dollars of worth in national infrastructure for a meaningful infrastructure based development, it is apparent that can only be a pipeline dream a long time coming due to the lack of capacity of the country to currently engage in such a juggernaut or heavy weight project. I believe this then decentralize development into a task whose mandated is cast to be embraced by everyone. It is therefore you and me who have to engage into transformational actions that impact the country in the positive. This then translates to development being the duty of every capable citizen. It may not mean tilting or levering mountains, but any contribution however meager is worth a recognition and contributes to the overall vision of a bettered country.

Recently speaking at a development conference, I cited Mr. Ken Sharpe, the chairman of Augur Investments as an ideal example in this vision to indulge the country into a hastened process of national development. Despite being a capable business mogul who has sacrificed his business proceeds to Zimbabwe-s betterment, he has adopted the specimen lab test to show that Zimbabwe-s redemption to its status ante is an un-barricaded possibility whose essence can be a broad daylight reality.

Mr. Sharpe is working on two big projects that include the construction of the airport road, and a now popular Mall of Zimbabwe, which, like the united States of America-s Mall of America, which got an outsourced concept from Triple Five Group who themselves owns West Edmonton Mall, the biggest in North America, the Mall of Zimbabwe got a concept from the Edendale Mall in Pietermaritzburg. The Mall of America is the most visited mall in the world as it received 40 million visitors per annum. This magnificent shopping center, which opened doors on 11 August 1992 costed US$650 million dollars in construction. Sharpe-s US$100 million Mall of Zimbabwe will however be the second biggest in the entire Africa and will facelift the structural outlook of Zimbabwe-s infrastructure and will employ an approximated 4 000 people and provide business entrepreneurial opportunities to thousands more. As true it is that the project will brighten the country-s Doing Business Index (DBI) while repositioning it back to its Bread Basket of Africa tag, the project should be perceived as an edifier of home grown solutions to the continent-s economic afflictions.

In the current maze of brain drain and mystically motivated self-propelled export of Zimbabwe-s human capital, Mr. Sharpe-s projects which augurs well with the country-s Indigenization policies and skills retention philosophies should forever be exalted. As already known, less people are willing to invest in the country and a vast number of those with running business entities are embroiled in resource externalization an act that puts Zimbabwe at a whetted edge of exacerbated disadvantage. According to Mr. Sharpe the Mall of Zimbabwe, although immense in its magnitude, will still record a shortfall in the expectations of the current Zimbabwean market as it will only cover 68 000 square meters and will not be able to cover the 210 000 square meters shopping space shortfall in Harare where existing malls only provide 110 000 square meters. To further his dedication, he said there is need to for an extension of a similar project in the country to cater for Zimbabwe-s urgent retail and competitive infrastructure needs.

The Mall concept is a new phenomenon that defines national growth. They offer vacation packages for tourists. The pioneering malls in the world have been edified to stand as tourist resort centers apart from offering their primary retail and recreation facilities. Today, with the technological advancement and the insatiable greed to the people-s livelihoods, the world now have the largest shopping malls that include the new China mall in China, the Golden Resources mall in China, The SM City North EDSA in Philippines, the Utama in Malaysia, the Central World in Thailand and the Isfahan City Centre in Iran in order of their gross leasable area. The concept although a trifle maiden to Zimbabwe is has a clear timeline of evolution from the general archaic shopping centers to full wide range indoor arcades. This certainly is a manifestation of an ever-advancing world.

It is important that Zimbabwe transcend into a viable growth oriented country that comprehends pure development free from the political lines of thought. As we move towards the UNWTO , another world tourism expo, it is imperative that as a country, we architect our own self-defined exhibition gallery of the national beauty. It is a scientific fact that we all aspire to see a Zimbabwe that calls for the eye-s attention. The UNWTO will be co-hosted by two nations, Zambia and Zimbabwe and according anticipations, the event will earn the two countries and international limelight. The question then is "How ready are we to host such wondrous occasions?"

In 2010, while in Bulawayo, the country-s second capital, I had to bear witness to a situation least preferable. Despite all chances of an economic blossom from the once off international soccer showcase (the 2010 World Cup) that was held in South Africa, that found us not geared to grace a benefit from it, however trifle. The holiday Inn and the Rainbow hotel apart from their incompetent upgrading, could not contain the overwhelming capacity of potential world cup tenants.

This is yet another opportune time for Zimbabwe to attract a regional market and boost Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs). Mr. Sharpe-s Mall of Zimbabwe which will have a capacity of 150 retail shops has, even before the project-s construction terminus, managed to lure regional market giants like Shoprite, Pick and Pay, Game, Truworths, Mr. Price, Spar, Woolworths and Edgars who are likely going to be using some space in the mall hence creating a diversified market and product range. Yes, this will give people a reason of celebrating being Zimbabwean and the invitation to participation of such giants will promote the nation in terms of national integration and will ensure a synchronized regional growth.

More-so, upholding one-s patriotic essence as a Zimbabwean is cemented by one-s ability to have something to showcase on exhibition. The Buy Zimbabwe campaign, apart from its superlative conceptual ideas, lacked people-s faith. It is therefore through such slow grinding neglects that a nation-s gleam is shoved into a hearth that brings a nations to a slow demise. There was a tremendous withdrawn participation from the inception of buy Zimbabwe campaign that ultimately cultured a psychology of disinterest in the project. Today, even regionally and internationally commended projects like the Mall of Zimbabwe are viewed with skepticism by retrogressive Zimbabweans who have auctioned brains for half a cent and worthless rubies believing substantial projects can only be achieved in countries not our own. Impacts this has had on the individual level within the people in the country is appalling. From the basic, starting one-s own business units in the country was then seen as a risk. One would think, what if my endeavor is despised and rejected, what if the nation does not support me. Because one doesn-t recognize good for good, then the people simply do not, and the nation denatures.

Unless as Zimbabweans we desist from mediocre classroom critiquing and envying ourselves as hill-top analysts on matters of high importance, we will be witnesses to our own miseries, gracing opportunities come and go with the day-s twilight only to sing high noted posthumous songs of lost glory. This is also a challenge to the media foundations that are focused on clearing newspaper copies from their disposal while sketching a bold trail of destruction that can never fade.

As I celebrate and welcome the coming of the Mall of Zimbabwe, allow me to point out that for any progressive countryman, all tantrums directed to nation builders like Mr. Sharpe are an equation of misguided minds and is ill rated. Let-s focus efforts to collectivism in workmanship and move away from a mind that acts against goodwill. It is time now to heal the fractured country and re-patch widening cracks from the Zimbabwean face.

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