Govt to set up three Special Economic Zones in Mash Central

Zimpapers Politics Hub
THREE Special Economic Zones (SEZs) will be established in Mashonaland Central Province, with President Mnangagwa expected to officially launch the initiatives, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has said.
The three SEZs are the Muzarabani-Mbire Energy Petrochemical Industrial SEZ; Mazowe-Mvurwi Agro-Industrial and Tobacco Value Chain; and the Bindura and Shamva Mineral Beneficiation SEZ.
These SEZs will be established under the integrated provincial framework, targeting areas such as energy, agro-industry and mineral beneficiation.
Professor Mthuli Ncube announced this at the Mashonaland Central Provincial Investment Dialogue in Mazowe on Friday.
He said the province contributes 6,5 percent to national GDP, equivalent to approximately US$3,4 billion.
“According to Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat) data, agriculture, forestry and fisheries account for 24,5 percent of provincial GDP, making it the single largest economic contributor. Mining contributes 10,1 percent, while manufacturing adds 10,2 percent, driven by agro-processing, tobacco processing and value addition.”
He said Cabinet recently approved the integrated provincial SEZs Framework as a strategic instrument to accelerate industrialisation, investment promotion, beneficiation, export growth and employment creation in line with Vision 2030.
The Minister said the Muzarabani-Mbire Energy Petrochemical Industrial SEZ is aligned with the resource endowment of that area, particularly the recent oil and gas discoveries by Invictus Energy.
“In the production sharing agreement that Government signed with Invictus, there is already a clause that they should apply for SEZ status immediately. So we are very serious about this,” he said.
On the Mazowe-Mvurwi Agro-Industrial and Tobacco Value Chain SEZ, Prof Ncube said the focus will be on tobacco processing, food manufacturing, export logistics and agricultural machinery development. “Thirty percent of national tobacco comes from this area. This is a significant region nationally,” he said.
He added the Bindura-Shamva Mineral Beneficiation and Manufacturing SEZ will tap into the mineral resources like gold and nickel that are abundant in that region.
“We wait for a day when we inaugurate all these three SEZs on the ground and invite His Excellency to come over and launch them. We will do this province by province until we cover all provinces,” said Prof Ncube.
He said while these zones are Government-led, the private sector is free to initiate their own SEZs and will be granted that status. Government is now moving into the implementation phase, operationalising provincial industrial ecosystems aligned to strategic sectors.
At the Conference, Prof Ncube also launched the Mashonaland Central Compendium of bankable projects that comprises 84 ventures which are open for business.
Cabinet Ministers Kazembe Kazembe (Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage), Monica Mavunga (Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs) and Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Christopher Magomo attended the event.
Also present were Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution in the Office of the President (OPC) Eng Tafadzwa Muguti and Deputy OPC Chief Secretary Dr Willard Manungo.
The National Economic Consultative Forum and the OPC organised the event, which will be held annually.