Ngoni Dapira

THEY say you don’t grow when life is easy but you grow when it gets hard and when things don’t go your way or when you are tested beyond your limits. Every tear, every setback, every sleepless night is proof that your story is still being written and God is still working on you.

Laston Murerwa celebrating after winning the same ZNCC Manicaland Business Award earlier this month.

This speaks to the life of Laston Murerwa who from humble beginnings has now carved his name amongst the top business people who hail from Manicaland Province. However, his illustrious success in the business circles from Zambezi to Limpopo has not been a walk in the park but it took years of experimenting many business ideas until he finally got it right in the motor spares and accessories sector.

Born in 1973 at Bonda Mission Hospital in Mutasa District, Murerwa like the majority of pre-independence born Zimbabweans of his age, who came from poor backgrounds, grew up in the rural areas. From herding cattle in the village and reaching only up to Form Four level at St Roberts Mbaza High in Mutasa District, his inferior, rural background did not stop him from dreaming big, and now he has risen to become a businessman sought after.

Murerwa (with certificate) at the ZNCC Manicaland Business Awards ceremony early this month.

Counting 26 years in business now, Easterntimeszim had an opportunity to interview Murerwa, the founder and chief executive officer of Last Power Sound and Security (Pvt) Ltd that trades as LPS, after he scooped the Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the 2026 Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) Manicaland Business Awards held in Mutare early this month. To put the icing on the cake, yesterday evening (Thursday) Murerwa further clinched the same award at the ZNCC national Presidential Dinner and Business Awards held in Victoria Falls during the chambers annual general meeting (AGM) that started on Wednesday ending tonight. The very down to earth businessman opened up on his business journey, which he says had many obstacles along the way, but is now growing by leaps and bounds through his LPS franchise.

It’s often said that ‘Life is a journey, not a destination,’ and this speaks to the life history of Murerwa who tried many business ventures before finally nailing it through his motor spares and accessories business, LPS, that he first established in South Africa and later on opened branches in Zimbabwe.

Before venturing in the motor spares and accessories business, the 53 year old Murerwa started off in the public transport business in Mutare with his Metro Trans buses, which he operated from 2002 to 2008. However, while operating his public transport buses business, it was in 2006 that he decided to diversify and venture into motor spares and accessories. He said he opted to start the business in South Africa in Limpopo Province. His first LPS South Africa shop started in the city of Lebowakgomo and then expanded to other towns in Limpopo Province.

“In 2008 I decided to entirely drop the buses business and focused on the LPS venture which was growing from strength to strength. I chose South Africa because that time, there were better opportunities than in Zimbabwe in the motor spares and accessories sector. From that one branch launched in 2006, we now have 16 branches in Limpopo Province, including two fitment centres, one in Polokwane and the other in Musina,” said Murerwa.

Murerwa (left) with sungura maestro Alick Macheso after he pimped his Ford Raptor for free at his fitment centre in SA, as part of his corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Murerwa who is an avid music lover, in 2009 also ventured into the music industry when he opened the music recording label, Last Power Media, that also served as a media and production company. He however said the venture which was a partnership with sungura maestro Alick Macheso and renowned music producer Bothwell Nyamhondera, only lasted till 2013 mostly because of music piracy that was very high in Zimbabwe which made the business unsustainable, especially on the music recording and distribution side.

Murerwa also pimped the Ford Raptor for prominent SA musician Makhadzi who hails from Limpopo Province where his business is headquartered. This was another CSR gesture.

Last Power Media which was based in Harare, during its stint became popular for entertainment equipment hire like PA sound systems, backup power generators and digital LCD screens, as well as events promotion and music recording for artistes through the influence of the sungura maestro Macheso.

Nonetheless, as other business projects folded, his LPS South Africa entity during all that time was soaring, and he decided to invest more towards that business line. It was only in 2017 that he decided to invest back home and first opened the LPS Zimbabwe Harare branch.

Murerwa during the official opening of the LPS Mutare branch in 2024.

“In South Africa LPS has a workforce of over 140 employees, but LPS Zimbabwe since 2017 is rapidly positioning itself as a reliable provider of high quality automotive spares, accessories, lubricants, tyres, batteries and vehicle customization solutions. With two branches now, the Harare branch that opened in 2017 and the Mutare branch that opened in 2024, we now have 22 employees so far, but we believe we can grow our business scope and create more employment for our people,” said Murerwa.

In 2019 he carved his place in history when it became the first black owned manufacturer of clip-on tonneau covers in both South Africa and Zimbabwe. “As someone who was now into motor spares and accessories since 2006 I realised we were purchasing high volumes of stocks from the manufacturers of clip-on tonneau covers, so after calculating the amount of money that we spent from that order alone, I decided to start manufacturing myself to grow our brand and its been working as a lot of people prefer the covers on their double cab trucks. But it took me a good three years trying to figure out how to do it. We are also certified vehicle builders and certified vehicle manufacturers in South Africa, so we are still planning to expand our operations,” said Murerwa.

Murerwa said he has a regional expansion vision and his next target markets are Botswana and Zambia. “Winning this ZNCC business award is such an honour. It means we are excelling in what we are doing and this will motive us to do more as LPS going forward,” he said.

VP Chiwenga at the LPS exhibition stand during the 2026 ZITF in April.

In April this year at the 66th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), LPS was the only motor spares and accessories business that exhibited and Murerwa said they received high appraisals from Vice President Constantino Chiwenga who toured the exhibition stands during the official opening.

On corporate social responsibility Murerwa he said he has always been helping out in both South Africa and Zimbabwe. In 2018 after the national soccer team won the COSAFA Cup final in South Africa, Murerwa said he hosted the team in Polokwane in victory celebrations and gave the team a winning cash prize of R40 000.

Murerwa (black suit) with the Zimbabwe national soccer team in 2018 after the team won the COSAFA Cup in South Africa.

Murerwa urged budding entrepreneurs to keep on trying even when things fail at times. He said if a rural boy like him could make it, the sky is the limit for any dreamer, but perseverance is needed in business.