Minister Launches Plan to Revive Zimbabwe’s Industry

By Ilyana Sithole

Today, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nqobizitha M. Ndhlovu, launched the Zimbabwe Industrial Reconstruction and Growth Plan at a breakfast meeting in Mutare; this was a milestone in efforts by the government to revive the economy. Government officials and industry leaders who attended the launch, not to mention members of the media, all expressed keen interest in working together for improved industrial and commercial prospects in Zimbabwe.

The Minister thanked the Hon. Advocate Misheck Mugadza, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, for availing his province to host this important occasion and continued to thank him for the support he has been giving all along. The launch of the ZIRGP therefore coincides with the Ministry’s Strategic Plan Review workshop, a coincidence that underscores the interconnection between the former and the annual planning framework.

“We cannot afford to have this as another potentially “good document” without any focus on implementation”, said the Minister, who expressed eagerness to see the transformation of Zimbabwe’s industrial landscape. “It would be a missed opportunity and there is no way we are missing this opportunity”, he added. The ZIRGP therefore represents a transitional strategy from the December 2023 expiry of the Zimbabwe Industrial Development Policy until such time, presumably 2025, when the second phase of the National Industrial Development Policy, ZNIDP 2, might be launched.

The Minister highlighted that the main goals of the ZIRGP seek to promote and address some of the immediate challenges facing the manufacturing and commercial sectors, such as informalization of industry, power supply challenges that have been worsened by climate change, and high cost of doing business. He noted there is need to come together-government, business, and consumer-to break through these constraints.

He added that strengthening the production base was essential if the country’s adverse trade balance was to be reduced, an adverse balance he ascribed to dependence on the export of raw materials. He insisted that as a country we have to turn to value-added production, announcing his intention to work with leaders of industry associations to devise programs that would lead to import substitution and increasing exports.

The Minister further announced the creation of an interim Local Content Committee that would assist in championing the course of local manufacturing and sourcing. “This Committee will lay a formidable foundation for a robust Local Content implementation process,” he told the participants, ensuring integrity and commitment on the part of its members.

He further called for participation in the still ongoing National Economic Census to cover all activities within the economy of the entire nation. This will go a long way in the articulation of useful policy interventions and implementation of an enabling business environment.

As the meeting came to a close, he solemnly reiterated that the government was committed to a consultative approach in implementing the ZIRGP, and rallied everyone together for unity and clarity of vision as Zimbabwe embarks on this transformative journey. “Together, we can strengthen Zimbabwe’s industrial and commercial sectors toward a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable economy for future generations,” he said.

The ZIRGP has just been officially launched, and the roadmaps that lie ahead seem to be a sure thing to renew the economy of Zimbabwe in ensuring change that will last in its industrial sector.