Japanese car dealer move unsettles local businesspeople
A prospective launch of business in Malawi by Japanese-based second hand vehicle exporter Be Forward Japan has been received with discontent among local businesspersons trading in the industry.
The Malawi Investment Trade Centre (Mitc) spokesperson Deliby Nyale Chimbalu while confirming the company was indeed in talks with Malawi authorities on launching their business in the country could not immediately give details of the venture.
“We understand that the deal was discussed by the Malawi ambassador to Japan [with the company]. We are aware of the arrangement but we are yet to get details,” she said.
Pressed on the local vendors’ sentiments, Chimbalu described the inquiry as tricky as Mitc can only determine a response to car dealers when everything is formalised.
Malawi’s ambassador in Japan, Rueben Ngwenya, reportedly sealed the deal last week at the Tokyo headquarters of the company.
While the news was warmly greeted by ordinary individuals in the country’s middle class looking forward to affordable vehicles, some of the businesspeople have reacted differently.
Some of the businesspeople interviewed said intended move, will ruin their business and the economy at large.
“This will create Japanese jobs and not Malawian jobs. We will not compete with them, we can’t. Let the company open a vehicle assembling centre not selling points,” said a Lilongwe-based car dealer.
Another dealer said through the Used Car Importers Association, they will lobby government to withdraw from the deal, as it will increase unemployment.
“We are fully registered as an association with government and this would signal the end of our business. At Biwi Triangle alone, we are over 200 car dealers and across the country we are more than 600.
“Imagine the number of people who depend on us. We don’t want traders in this country, we need investors,” he said.
Be Forward Japan is a largely internet marketing-based company popular among Malawians and world over for people seeking affordable second hand vehicles.
Dont listen to them; these traders want to continue milking poor Malawians – let Be Forward come so that we buy the cars in Malawi Kwacha – no hussle for foreign currency (is that not good for the conomy?). Moreover, you can’t ask Be Forward to “start assembling cars in Malawi” – they dont manufacture cars; you can ask Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, etc for that; not Be Forward!
There are also interests of middle income Malawians who want to get a car at reasonable fee and they too are Malawians. It is not only the second hand car dealers who are Malawians. These people exaggerate their prices and if they do not know, most Malawians now order vehicles on their own because these local dealers want mavuto awo onse athere paiwe akamagulisa galimoto. Let Be Forward come and come to stay, it is a free market economy we have in Malawi
I don’t think bringing Be Forward to Malawi will ruin the economy in any way. However, what I am seeing is that some business people in the car industry going under because of exorbitant prices they charge on cars. On another hand, they should be ready to compete with Be Forward if they can prove their mettle!
Local traders have been milking us a lot. Let Be Forward come and change the exploitive environment. The market is open to anyone. Lets those who can manage be on the market otherwise, local traders your time for stealing is up
Thats great move may I can own a ride one day.then dealers charge lot on there cars.
That’s part of Development and I don’t see anything wrong with that, our neighbours got companies like those but Dealers are still running. In Malawi we have MITC right but why people are still going out side Malawi and buying cars yet we got our own Dealers?
Malawians are very funny. Which ppo do our traders employ. These guyz milk us a lot
Ignorant car traders beforward shld come. Gvt will gain coz tax will b paid by Beforward
ABALE kuberana amalawi tatopa. Beforward woyee!!!!!!!!!