P&O Nedlloyd comes on strong in Zimbabwe and Malawi

Ray Smuts THE BLEAK economic scenario in Zimbabwe notwithstanding, P&O Nedlloyd is looking to the future after Abuja by strengthening its presence in that troubled land and in that of neighbouring Malawi. It has appointed Andrew Kuster (29), a Zimbabwe citizen, as branch manager for Zimbabwe and Malawi and a Malawi national, Medson Kalambule (28) as owner's representative in Malawi, based in Harare and Blantyre respectively. Kuster, an M.A. graduate in economic management from the University of Aberdeen, will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the 18-member Harare office opened in February and also have responsibility for Malawi, while Kalambule will stay focused on Malawi, concentrating on sales and marketing and customer services. In Cape Town last week to familiarise themselves with the line's operation and also attend the annual sales conference, both were optimistic that from here onward things can only get better in Zimbabwe, particularly in view of the Mugabe government's recent declaration at the Abuja talks in Nigeria that it would no longer countenance the seizure of White-owned farmland by so-called war veterans.