Norman Dururu
GWERU — A decades-old family entrepreneurship legacy is being carried into a new generation with the commissioning of the US$1.4 million National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2)-compliant MAN-VIM Centre in Gweru.
The state-of-the-art complex, an indigenous investment managed by the Msopero family, was commissioned by Owen Ncube, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Midlands Province.
The development has created 31 workspaces for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), providing space for businesses to operate and grow while contributing to the revenue base of the city of Gweru.
Beyond the infrastructure, the centre represents the continuation of a family business legacy spanning several decades, with the second generation building on the foundation laid by its founders.
Scheefet Properties director and chairperson, Esther Mberi, whose company owns the MAN-VIM Centre, said the development was designed not only as a commercial property but also as a platform for businesses to grow and create employment.
“We want this to become a place where businesses will grow and create a win-win situation for everyone, with employment opportunities created for our youth,” she said.
Mberi said more than 100 people were already earning their livelihoods from businesses operating at the complex.
“It may seem small when you look at the unemployment rate in the country, but it means that more than 100 people now have a livelihood,” she said.
She said the development was part of a deliberate effort by the second generation to preserve and enhance the family’s business legacy.
Mberi said the family had looked at what their parents had built and sought to develop a modern facility capable of serving businesses for generations to come.
“We looked at what our parents had done and decided to improve upon it. We are not looking down on what they did, but we decided to build something that will last for about 30 years and adapt to changing technology,” she said.
She expressed hope that the next generation would build on their work and create even greater developments.
Mberi also paid tribute to their surviving parent and mentor, Vimbai Musopero (née Mashiri), who was involved in establishing the family business empire alongside her husband.
The Msopero family’s entrepreneurial journey dates back decades, beginning with a modest fish and chips outlet at Tikley in Mpompoma, Bulawayo, before relocating to Kwekwe, where they established Msopero Butchery and grocery shops.
The family later diversified into tourism, establishing Msopero Country Hotel in Mbizo, Kwekwe, around 1975, and then expanded its interests to include Midnight Club and Kudzanayi Complex in Gweru.
The family subsequently ventured into farming and property development, including constructing Moonlight Building and several other shops in Mvuma.
Minister Ncube commended the Msopero family for preserving and strengthening the culture of indigenous entrepreneurship across generations.
He said the commissioning of the MAN-VIM Centre demonstrated the role that local investment can play in supporting economic activity, creating employment, and contributing to urban development.
Ncube said the development was also consistent with the country’s aspirations under NDS2, particularly in the areas of urban renewal, infrastructure development, and private-sector-led economic growth.
Gweru Deputy Mayor Councillor Nyaradzo Madzikura welcomed the development, saying the new complex would add value to the city by increasing business space and supporting economic activity.
