MARTIN MAWAYA
Gweru City Council has been awarded the gold medal for the best local government exhibit at the recently concluded 65th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF).
The local authority topped the local government category, an improvement from their runner-up position last year.
The gold award was presented by Mozambican President Daniel Chapo who officially opened the premier business expo in the country.
Umzingwane Rural District Council won the silver medal, while the bronze medal went to the City of Bulawayo.
ZITF Marketing and Corporate Communications Manager Thandolwenkosi Nkomo said the award evaluates the exhibition design in line with the event’s theme.
This year’s theme was dubbed “Industrialisation: Crafting an Integrated Economic Landscape.”
Nkomo explained that the exhibitors are clustered into groups with each group allocated a team of judges.
He added that the marks are awarded across six variables assessed by the judges.
These are: “overall impression of the stand, originality of exhibition design, thematic representation, experientiality, availability of information, and quality of personnel.”
Gweru City Council spokesperson Vimbai Chingwaramusee expressed the local authority’s excitement for being recognized as the best in the category.
“Our design and presentation were extraordinary, and the judges saw it fit to award us the best in the local government category,” she said.
This year’s ZITF highlighted the role of industrialization in driving economic growth.
