Indiscipline killing local entrepreneurship

BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR

Local entrepreneurs have been advised to change their attitude and managerial styles if they are to survive the stiff competition from foreign investors on the market.

In an interview with Business Times on the sidelines of a farewell party Business Computer Services (BCS) organized for its retiring receiptionist in Blantyre, managing director James Chimwaza noted that lack of discipline among local businesspersons is contributing significantly to the fall of local companies.

Chimwaza observed that most of the local entrepreneurs running families companies have the tendency to treat outside workers as passengers whose services are less valuable to the firm.

“This is the biggest challenge. For example, I’m the director for BCS, which is a limited company and it would be very wrong for me to handle cheque books when accountants are there to do the job. However, this is the case in many local companies and that’s indiscipline am talking about,” he said.

“This discourages non-family workers from showing their full potential. This has led to the death of many local firms. But we all need to be there to harness all the resources for optimum effectiveness. This is the only vehicle to the growth of local firms,” Chimwaza added.

He also cited poor management, lack of planning, and under-capitalisation as some of the challenges currently rocking local entrepreneurs.

On the farewell get-together, Chimwaza said his firm had organized the party to celebrate the retirement of one of their longest-serving employees, Jean Muphuwa, who had worked with BCS for since its inception in 1986.

The company has given her a full computer set and printer as a retirement package among other items.

Muphuwa expressed gratitude for the gift and said she will open a communication at a place yet to be identified where she will be offering secretarial services as a survival mechanism for her.


“I’m retiring a happy person. I wanted to create space for new blood to find employment,” said Muphuwa who is advanced age. She had also worked for Portland Cement for 18 years before joining the computer firm.

END