Online Reporter
Nelson Gahadza
ZIMBABWE’S campaign to promote locally produced goods must be supported by a strong commitment to strengthening industrial value chains, capacitating domestic firms and unlocking patient capital from the financial sector, Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda has said.
Zimbabwe has rolled out several policy, regulatory and economic measures aimed at boosting local consumption, reducing import dependence and driving industrial growth.
Among these is a Government directive requiring processors to source at least 40 percent of their annual grain and oilseed requirements locally from April 1, 2026, rising to 100 percent by April 2028. Additional incentives have been introduced through the industrialisation fund, while Government procurement is increasingly prioritising locally produced goods.
The authorities have also tightened import controls and enforced local value addition regulations to ensure raw materials are processed domestically.
A related policy compels Government departments and agencies to prioritise local goods and services in procurement to support domestic manufacturers.
Addressing stakeholders at the Buy Zimbabwe, Buy Local Conference on Friday, Adv Mudenda said the buy local campaign would only achieve meaningful economic transformation if industry is equipped to produce competitive, high quality goods at scale.
He said retooling local industries was essential and could be accelerated through strategies such as reverse engineering, a method successfully used by economies such as Japan and China to build strong manufacturing bases and improve product quality.
“The imperative to buy local products must therefore be accompanied by an equally resolute commitment to capacitate Zimbabwean industry. Without production capacity, the buy local agenda cannot be sustained,” he said.
Adv Mudenda criticised the banking sector, accusing it of failing to provide the long-term, patient capital required to retool and expand local industries.
“Banks in Zimbabwe are not prepared to give business patient capitalisation as most of them are headquartered outside Zimbabwe and take policy directives from external jurisdictions, with little regard to our domestic political economy,” he said.
He cited historical interventions in other markets, such as the United States’ 1933 banking reforms, which compelled banks to be domestically anchored and aligned with national economic interests, backed by Government guarantees for long-term industrial financing.
According to Adv Mudenda, the lack of patient capital has prevented many Zimbabwean firms from modernising their operations, undermining their competitiveness against imported products.
Beyond financing challenges, he urged businesses to fully utilise constitutional provisions that allow them to influence legislation affecting their operations. He highlighted Section 149 of the Constitution, which empowers citizens and organisations to petition Parliament to enact, amend or repeal laws.
“The right to petition Parliament is a critical avenue for democratic participation that remains underutilised,” he said. “Businesses must use their corporate lawyers to actively shape laws that create a conducive business environment.”
Adv Mudenda said the misconception that Parliament serves only legislators must be corrected, emphasising that industry should leverage the institution to advance policy reforms.
“The retail and manufacturing sectors can and should petition Parliament on issues affecting their operations, particularly the promotion of locally produced goods,” he said.
He called for a coordinated approach across the value chain, urging manufacturers, retailers and consumers to play complementary roles in advancing the buy local agenda. Manufacturers, he said, must focus on producing high quality, competitively priced goods, while retailers should prioritise shelf space for local products and adopt merchandising strategies that blend patriotism with profitability.
Consumers were encouraged to make deliberate choices that support domestic production.
“Every purchasing decision has economic consequences,” Adv Mudenda said, adding that choosing local products sustains jobs, supports industry and drives national economic growth.
He added that Government must lead through procurement policies that favour local goods, while also streamlining regulations and aligning resources to support industrial development.
Meanwhile, Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu reaffirmed the importance of the buy local movement in economic transformation. In remarks delivered on his behalf by permanent secretary Dr Thomas Utete, Minister Ndlovu said the initiative challenges Zimbabweans to rethink their role in the economy, not only as producers or consumers, but as active contributors to national development.
“Every dollar spent on a local product sustains Zimbabwean jobs, supports domestic industries, strengthens value chains and retains wealth within our economy. Conversely, every unnecessary import represents exported jobs, exported value and missed industrial opportunities,” he said.
He said Zimbabwe has made progress in repositioning its economy towards inclusive growth, with manufacturing playing a central role. Key value chains — including agro processing, iron and steel, fertiliser production, pharmaceuticals and mineral beneficiation — are accelerating local value addition and reducing dependency on imports.
Minister Ndlovu added that growth in manufactured exports reflects a gradual shift towards a value-driven industrial economy, while rural industrialisation under the Devolution Agenda is unlocking local potential and promoting inclusive development.
“These gains will be consolidated under the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy (ZNIDP) 2, alongside reforms to improve the ease of doing business and strengthen private sector confidence,” he said.
He said Government remains committed to driving local production for domestic consumption while positioning Zimbabwean goods to compete regionally and globally in line with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
Buy Zimbabwe chairman Mr Munyaradzi Hwengwere said the success of the buy local campaign hinges on unified action across all sectors.
He said while supportive policies are essential, industry must also raise standards, consistency and competitiveness.
“The buy local agenda is not just a campaign, but a national economic strategy that requires alignment across producers, retailers, financiers and consumers,” he said.
He added that strengthening value chains and ensuring a reliable supply of quality products will be central to sustaining consumer confidence in local goods.
