Without reconstructing the basic principles of his organisation, the new President of the Botswana Confederation of Commerce Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM), Alex Monchusi, will use his tenure in offing to push forward youth agenda and promote rural businesses.
But his pronouncement should not be read as moving away from advocating for large businesses in the mainstream economy.
Monchusi says there is a need to give rural-based businesses more attention and to provide access to services and prevent youth migration to urban areas, adding that the youth “are our future business leaders” not only for Botswana but for BOCCIM.
“Women, especially Batswana women, have strong business acumen and a sense of success; all they require is nurturing and a responsible and accountable role on a comprehensive national scale. Both youth and women have an imperative role to play in developing and diversifying Botswana’s economy,” he explains.
Monchusi, a local engineer and also playing as a Southern African businessman chess-player, assumed his role through a ballot at the BOCCIM annual meeting and said industrious women should be assisted, especially those from the countryside.
“I had the privilege this Thursday night of attending the Official Opening of the 12th National Women’s exposition at Ditshupo Hall. The craft-ware, textiles and agribusiness products on show, made by Batswana women were very impressive and absolutely world class,” he reveals.
“We, therefore, as a country need to assist these industrious (local) women, mainly from rural areas around the country, to access regional and global markets as well as ensuring that they truly entrench themselves in terms of the local market.”
He, however, promises that during his tenure he will work hard to ensure that ‘our mandate’, as well as the objectives envisioned in ‘our mission’ and visions as BOCCIM are achieved during his term.
“My key area of focus will be on leading the BOCCIM council, all its sectors and driving the secretariat at a policy and strategic level, to ensure member and stakeholder expectations are met,” he says.
“In this regard, I have to ensure we deliver on our strategic plan, he says, referring to the strategic plan for the period for 2010-14 of which his organisation has gone full force into. As part of that Marshall Plan (a term borrowed from the world reconstruction of the world’s Great War), BOCCIM has a standing network hub for its current and potential members. One of the most important pillars is the SMME development being key driver in the economic development across.
Monchusi states that he wants to ensure that the BOCCIM strategic plan 2010-2014 is not diverted and is keeping in shape with the global economic trends. With the global economic swifts, he says, they have to ensure that they as an organisation set the pace for business progression. “Batswana women have strong business acumen and a sense of success and have a role to play in developing and diversifying the economy,” says Monchusi.
He says limited resources in a raft of areas such as lack of technical skills and finance, including poor involvement by our members in the BOCCIM activities and lack of cooperation from civil service blightes the future of the SMMEs in the country.
“My key areas will be on leading the council, and driving the secretariat at a policy and strategic level to ensure stakeholders expectations are met,” Monchusi says.
“I wish to encourage BOCCIM members and potential members to participate more fully in BOCCIM activities, in so doing they will strengthen the voice of BOCCIM and BOCCIM is the ‘Voice of Business,” Monchusi says.
Monchusi, a mechanical engineer and a local businessman in the electrical field, took over from Modiri Mbaakanyi who had been BOCCIM president for four years.
Currently, Monchusi is the 9th BOCCIM President, with 18 sectors Council Members and has over time given a considerable amount of his time to participation in forums advocating for the enhancing of the business environment for the private sector in the country.
