PROMINENT Bulawayo businessman Mr Raj Modi plans to set up a smartphone and laptop assembly plant in Bulawayo over the next six months.

The proposed investment is expected to employ about 500 people. Mr Modi is a seasoned entreprenuer who runs Wholesale Liquor Hub and has diverse business interests. He said in an interview that the proposed electronic device assembly plant would be a joint venture with a Japanese firm that he could not disclose.

“I am going to Japan today (yesterday) to see some investors that are interested in investing in Zimbabwe. They asked me to come. The purpose of the trip is to discuss the setting up of a company here in Bulawayo that will assemble smartphones, laptops and tablets,” he said.

The award winning businessman could not disclose how much was needed to establish the plant.

“I don’t yet know how much it will cost to set up the company here. I will have a clearer picture of how much I will put into that venture when I get there. But I am excited, it is definitely happening,” he said.

“When we have everything in place, experts from the Japanese company will come and train workers who will be tasked with assembling the gadgets. The training will last four to six months. Actually it is not very difficult to assemble the components. So, it will not be rocket science to the workers.”

Mr Modi is a well known philanthropist with a passion for the development of Bulawayo’s economy. Throughout his investments, he says his drive has been to create more job opportunities. As such, his desire is to have the proposed assembly plant located in Belmont Industrial Area where it will employ many people.

“The company will definitely be in Bulawayo and it will employ up to 500 people. The area where it will be set up is already there in Belmont. At first, the target will be to cater for the local market, then later we will look into exporting the gadgets,” he said.

Mr Modi believes that the proposed company could lead to a reduction in the price of mobile phones and laptops in Zimbabwe by a significant level.

“The devices will be assembled from imported material which is cheaper to import than assembled ones. This will obviously mean that the prices of the phones, tablets and laptops will be affordable. By extension, this will affect the prices of other mobile retailers, leading to the lowering of prices,” he said.

Mr Modi said he has already partnered an India-based firm, Kanti Council Services (KCS), to set up a $7 million solar equipment manufacturing factory in Bulawayo, which will be opened in August.

He revealed that he was expanding his business empire in order to be ahead of the pack when Bulawayo is declared a Special Economic Zone.

“Bulawayo was once the industrial hub of the country and it will regain that status when it is declared a Special Economic Zone. I am setting up all these ventures so that I am ahead in the race. Big things are going to happen in this city and in Zimbabwe.

“I hope to be the early bird that catches the worm,” said Mr Modi who will be participating in this year’s harmonised election as Zanu-PF House of Assembly candidate for Bulawayo South constituency. - Chronicle