Tendai Gukutikwa
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
MANICALAND is spearheading a bold initiative to reverse decades of industrial decline, aiming to increase manufacturing’s contribution to the province’s economy from10 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to at least 25 percent.
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mr Abiot Maronge, Director of Economic Affairs and Investment Promotion, Mr Munyaradzi Rubaya told the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy 2 (ZNIDP2) consultative meeting that the province’s monumental deindustrialisation had left numerous once-thriving factories abandoned or repurposed as schools.
Mr Rubaya assured stakeholders of Government’s commitment to industrial revival through strategic support for small and medium-sized enterprises, informal sector players, and innovation.
“We are on a drive as Manicaland to reclaim our industrial glory. Reviving old factories, encouraging new investments, and boosting local production will not only increase GDP contributions, but also create employment opportunities for youths and vulnerable groups. We are determined to reclaim our industrial glory. This is not just a policy – it is a collective responsibility. Together, we can transform Manicaland into the economic powerhouse it once was,” he said, citing the collapse of key industrial players such as Karina Textiles, Mutare Board and Paper Mills, and other companies.
“Most industries have now been turned into schools. If you go to our industrial areas within the province, you will see that there is a lot of deindustrialisation,” said Mr Maronge, stressing the urgency of restoring Manicaland’s industrial status.
“We need to re-establish ourselves as the industrial hub of this country. We need to bring up a new generation of industries in this country. We need to bring back some of those old industries,” he said, urging stakeholders to leverage on the province’s natural wealth, including gold, diamonds, lithium, timber, macadamia, and fertile agricultural land, as well as its strategic position as a gateway to the Indian Ocean and Southern Africa.
Mr Maronge said the province’s low industrial output contrasts sharply with its potential.
“Only 10 percent of what we produce in this province is from industry. The rest is mainly from the primary sector, mining, agriculture, and a bit of commerce. Currently, industry valuation is playing a very small role in the economy of this province. Our desire is to move the contribution of industry to at least 25 percent of the GDP. To do that, we must push up the industrial sector,” said Mr Maronge.
He warned that overcoming challenges such as foreign currency shortages, inadequate working capital, liquidity constraints, competition from imports, and high utility costs would require coordinated action.
Manicaland’s human capital remains a significant advantage, Mr Maronge noted.
Mr Maronge also urged the business community to support value addition initiatives, highlighting that local products should once again dominate the market.
“We want to go back to the era where most of the products consumed in this country were produced locally. We have the resources to do that. The beginning of the 21st century was characterised by massive deindustrialisation. Some of the major industrial and commercial sector players collapsed. We have a mammoth task ahead of us, but we are determined to bring back our industries,” said Mr Maronge, urging participants to contribute ideas to re-establish Manicaland as a leading industrial hub.
He also pointed that in addition to manufacturing, tourism is a complementary growth sector, citing events such as the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Kumbanayi World Tourism Expo set for September.
The consultative meeting, attended by Government officials, business leaders, youth representatives, and civil society, focused on aligning the province’s industrial development with the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy 2 (2026–2030).
The policy aims to consolidate gains from the first National Industrial Strategy, enhance inclusive growth, encourage private sector development, and stimulate job creation.
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