Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo, [email protected]
THE planned designation of Bulawayo as an Integrated Special Economic Zone (SEZ) will help revive the city’s industrial base and attract domestic and international investment, Speaker of Parliament AdvocateJacob Mudenda has said.
This comes after the Cabinet approved the framework for Integrated Provincial Special Economic Zones on May 26, 2026, decentralising industrial development across all 10 provinces to leverage regional comparative advantages.
The framework establishes specialised zones aligned to each province’s comparative advantage, structured as complete industrial ecosystems integrating upstream production, midstream processing, downstream manufacturing, logistics, infrastructure and services within a single provincial production cluster.
The policy, administered through the Zimbabwe Investments and Development Agency Act, aims to build complete industrial ecosystems spanning production, midstream processing, logistics and services.
These zones will bring substantial tax, financial and logistical incentives to drive regional growth, job creation and export-oriented industrialisation
Speaking during a capacity building workshop on Budget Analysis in Bulawayo recently, Adv Mudenda said Bulawayo will follow Matabeleland North in receiving SEZ status.
The Bulawayo SEZ will cover agro-processing, tourism, renewable energy and diamond processing.
“I would like to inform you that very soon, Bulawayo is going to be declared an integrated special economic zone. You are the next after Matabeleland North in the north. Hopefully, that will encourage domestic and international investors,” he said.
Adv Mudenda recalled Bulawayo’s industrial heyday and said the goal is to restore it.
“And once more, as we grew up, some of us, coming into Bulawayo, you could see the smoke burning up the skies. And people will be singing… That was the Bulawayo of yesterday, and we want to create the Bulawayo of today.”
Similarly, four SEZs have been declared in Matabeleland North, focusing on energy (such as coal and solar) and tourism.
The Matabeleland South integrated SEZ will focus on logistics, beef production, leather processing and solar energy.
Bulawayo businessman and former ZNCC Matabeleland Chapter vice president Mr Louis Herbst described the SEZ designation, together with plans for Zimbabwe’s second gold refinery in the city, as a turning point.
“The reported decision to designate Bulawayo as an Integrated Special Economic Zone, together with the establishment of Zimbabwe’s second gold refinery, has the potential to become one of the most significant economic developments in the country’s recent history,” said Mr Herbst.
“If implemented effectively, these two initiatives could fundamentally reshape the city’s economic landscape and strengthen Zimbabwe’s industrial competitiveness.”
Mr Herbst noted that Bulawayo retains the core ingredients for industrial renewal despite decades of decline. Key attributes include a skilled workforce, established industrial infrastructure, top educational institutions, engineering expertise and a strategic location linking Zimbabwe to Botswana, Zambia, South Africa and the wider SADC region.
Mr Herbst said a well-managed zone creates an environment that attracts long-term investment through improved infrastructure, efficient regulation and competitive operating conditions.
He added that it encourages manufacturers, exporters, logistics companies and service providers to establish operations within a connected industrial network.
Bulawayo’s location, he added, gives it a natural competitive advantage as a regional manufacturing, logistics and export hub serving both domestic and neighbouring markets. The benefits, he said, would cut across construction, manufacturing, transport, financial services, and technology, education, hospitality, retail and small-to-medium enterprises.
Increased industrial activity stimulates supply chains, expands markets for local businesses, creates employment and broadens the tax base that supports public services. However, Mr Herbst cautioned that success will depend on execution.
“The opportunity, however, will be determined by execution rather than ambition. Investors require confidence that policies will remain consistent, infrastructure will be reliable, approvals will be efficient and governance will be transparent,” said Mr Herbst.
“Just as importantly, local businesses and communities must be integrated into the growth strategy to ensure that economic development is both inclusive and sustainable.”
He also said Zimbabwe has long recognised the need to move beyond exporting raw materials towards value addition and industrialisation.
Bulawayo now has an opportunity to demonstrate how coordinated economic policy, strategic infrastructure and investment promotion can work together to accelerate national development.
“If these initiatives are implemented with discipline and long-term commitment, Bulawayo can once again establish itself as Zimbabwe’s industrial engine — this time as a modern, competitive city that drives manufacturing, mineral beneficiation, exports and investment for the benefit of the entire nation,” said Mr Herbst.
Zimbabwe is building a second national gold refinery in Bulawayo to decentralise gold processing and accommodate rising deliveries. The facility will be operated by Better Brands, the country’s largest gold buyer, which will eliminate the need for local miners to travel to Harare. Mr Herbst said the refinery would do more than process gold.
“A gold refinery is far more than a processing facility. It becomes the nucleus of a broader value chain, supporting assaying laboratories, engineering services, secure logistics, banking, insurance, equipment maintenance and professional services,” he added.
“It also enables downstream industries such as jewellery manufacturing, precious metal fabrication and other value-added exports, allowing Zimbabwe to retain more economic value from its mineral resources while increasing foreign currency earnings.”
In terms of other integrated SEZs, the capital, Harare, will host financial services, information and communication technology (ICT), pharmaceuticals, light manufacturing and business process outsourcing (BPOs).
Mashonaland Central will focus on agriculture, mining and emerging energy opportunities.
Mashonaland East will have commercial agriculture and agro-processing (e.g., blueberry farming and manufacturing hubs in Marondera).
Midlands will host heavy industry and renewable energy, marked by initiatives like the New Glovers Solar plant in Kwekwe.
