Online Reporter
George Maponga
Masvingo Bureau Chief
Masvingo Province is on the verge of a profound socio-economic transformation, driven by a series of high-impact projects ready for commissioning.
This development surge aligns with the national vision of achieving upper-middle-income status by 2030, underpinned by the principle of leaving no place and no one behind.
The provincial economy, traditionally anchored by agriculture, tourism and mining, is being fundamentally reshaped by strategic investments in mineral beneficiation, agro-industrial manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure.
The most significant developments are in the mining sector, where a focus on value-addition is creating new revenue streams and jobs.
At Bikita Minerals, owned by Sinomine Resource Group, a US$500 million lithium sulphate plant is under construction. This project is critical to Zimbabwe’s strategy of banning raw lithium exports from next year, ensuring the country captures more value from its resources in the global battery supply chain.
In a groundbreaking achievement, Bikita has also commenced commercial production of pollucite, a rare mineral containing ceasium. This makes the mine the first pollucite producer in Africa, positioning Zimbabwe within an exclusive global market where caesium, used in the oil drilling industry, explosives plus electronics and electrical products, fetches up to US$3 000 per tonne.
Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira hailed this as a “masterstroke” for the local and national economy.
“The new mineral (pollucite) contains caesium which is an element used to manufacture explosives and is also key in the petroleum extraction industry. Pollucite is a rare mineral and its discovery at Bikita Minerals is a boon for the national economy because this is the first such discovery in Zimbabwe and the whole of Africa,” said Minister Chadzamira.
“Sinomine Bikita Minerals will produce a maximum of 300 tonnes of pollucite monthly and to show how precious the mineral is, it averages around US$2 500 per tonne.”
Meanwhile, in Mashava, the Zimbabwe Zhongxin Chrome Smelting Company has commissioned a US$70 million processing plant. The facility, with two smelters processing 1 500 tonnes of chrome monthly, has created over 230 jobs. It provides a reliable, fair market for thousands of small-scale chrome miners in the area, who previously struggled with exploitative buyers. The investment is also helping to revitalise the once-dormant mining town.
In Mwenezi District, Rutenga Growth Point has taken a major step forward with the establishment of an industrial park housing paprika and sesame processing plants as value is added to agricultural crops. A partnership between the community, local council, and Sustainable Agriculture Technology, the park ensures local farmers receive fair value for their crops.
“Before this, our sesame farmers were being shortchanged by dealers smuggling the crop to Mozambique,” said Mwenezi RDC CEO Albert Chivanga. “Now, value is added here, and the product is exported to Japan, earning foreign currency for farmers and the country.”
Masvingo is leveraging its numerous dams to become a hub for renewable energy. A US$14.6 million, 5MW mini-hydro power plant at Lake Mutirikwi is now complete, supplying a most supply of reliable electricity to Masvingo City as irrigation water is released. Funded and built with local resources and expertise, it is a flagship project awaiting presidential commissioning.
Further expansion is planned, with feasibility studies for additional plants at Mutirikwi (5MW) and Bangala Dam (10MW). The largest project underway is a 15MW hydro-power plant at Tugwi-Mukosi Dam, spearheaded by the Public Service Pension Fund and scheduled for completion in late 2026. As these are irrigation dams rather than energy dams, the power is generated from the release of irrigation water.
The ongoing dualisation of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge highway is a critical national infrastructure project enhancing regional connectivity. In Masvingo City, related works include a new bridge across the Mucheke River at Chevron, an upcoming Chimusana bridge, and a mini traffic interchange near Masvingo Polytechnic.
The transformation extends beyond large-scale projects. The Government’s computerisation programme is equipping rural schools in Gutu, Bikita, Zaka, and Chivi with laptops and Starlink kits, aiming to bridge the digital divide and improve educational outcomes.
