By HELEN ZULU –
THE Government is reviewing the Zambia Institute of Marketing (ZIM) Act to include provisions that will strengthen its enforcement.
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe said this at a ZIM marketing chat held under the theme: “The digital divide; delight verses your right,” in Lusaka.
She said that the Government recognised the role, potential and value that marketing could add to its programmes if appropriately integrated in all its policy formulation processes.
She said that the Government through her ministry would begin to involve marketers in its projects and programmes to spur development.
“We feel it is the responsibility of marketers to market every aspect of the country in an effort to create a positive image as well as to contribute to bettering the investment climate.
“As you are aware, job creation remains a dream without investment by both local and foreign investors,” Ms Mwanakatwe said.
She said marketers needed to re-engineer their way of doing marketing saying the demand for re-engineering was real and could only be ignored at the country’s own risk.
Mr Mwanakatwe said consumer rights were increasingly being realised, making a consumer more protected from possible misleading products and service marketing.
This meant that marketers had to work extremely hard in areas of innovation, creativity whilst sticking to professionalism at all times.
ZIM president Evans Muhanga said it was important that more marketers in the country get affiliated to make the profession more effective.
He said marketing thrived where the general membership was active unlike some members who just paid subscription and stayed home waiting for the next invoice.
“I would like to encourage you marketers to become more active through platforms such as the marketing chat as it is desirable for the profession and the country as a whole,” Mr Muhanga said.