Harare — THE Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) will before the end of the year partner with other business groups to spearhead the establishment of a body that would strengthen the private sector's lobby for viable policies and a favourable business climate.

The Financial Gazette can reveal that the lobby group, to be structured along the lines of the Business Union of South Africa, will draw chief executives, chairpersons, and presidents of various business organisations who will meet regularly to share their experiences before engaging the government with one voice.

Among the private sector organisations that, if agreement is reached, will make up the new body include the Chamber of Mines, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries, the Zimbabwe Council for Tourism, the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe and many others.

It was not clear this week if the ZNCC had already approached its counterparts but the chamber's chief economist Tichaona Mudzviti said the idea, mulled by the recently elected president, Obert Sibanda, would eradicate the fragmentation of voices that currently characterise the business community.

"We as ZNCC have on top of our agenda the establishment of the apex body of business representatives so that we speak with one voice, and a national business council composed of all social partners," Sibanda said.

His call came as a politicians negotiating for a power-sharing deal in Zimbabwe proposed the formation of a National Economic Council whose terms of reference would include among other things giving advice to government, formulating economic plans and programmes for approval by government and such other functions as assigned. Sibanda said the idea of the council was noble but added it would function more efficiently if its objectives were aligned with private sector plans.

"We are hopeful that the said council is in line with our proposed business council," said the ZNCC chief economist.

"We need a shared vision and we believe that as Zimbabweans we need a frank, objective and balanced social dialogue which is important to provide correct characterisation of the challenges we face and come up with solutions to this great nation.

"We urge all Zimbabweans to focus on national building and avoid parochial and sectoral interests and put Zimbabwe first. We also appeal to the new government to ensure that they genuinely consult business on all issues that involve business and appreciate that anything about business without business is not likely to succeed," he said.

The ZNCC has taken the issue of consultation seriously and has come up with a business manifesto, which is an outline of what the business community expects from the government.

The manifesto, which will be launched by the members of the House of Assembly, will lobby for a departure from the previous scenario where policies were dictated to by the government, resulting in unwarranted repercussions in the economy.

In cases where full consultations were made, government has ignored input from industry by making unilateral decisions without taking into considerations views from industry.