Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, Zimpapers Reporter
STRONG political leadership and commitment to reforms that stimulate both local and foreign investment have positioned Zimbabwe for sustainable economic growth, Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Owen Ncube has said.
He was addressing senior officers from the Zimbabwe National Defence University’s National Defence Course Number 14, who were on a study tour in the Midlands Province on Monday and Tuesday.
A total of 35 senior officers participated in the tour, representing Tanzania, Nigeria, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Botswana, China, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe.
The tour was designed to give students first-hand insight into national development efforts across provinces, beginning with a visit to Dendairy Company in Kwekwe, followed by a tour of the Bata Shoe Company in Gweru.
Minister Ncube said President Mnangagwa’s “Zimbabwe is open for business” mantra presents boundless opportunities for investors, and he commended the progress made towards achieving Vision 2030.
“Zimbabwe’s economy is on an irreversible growth trajectory, supported by strong political will and strategic leadership at the highest level, through tireless efforts by President Mnangagwa, who has been attracting investors from Davos in Switzerland to St Petersburg in Russia, and from Seoul in South Korea to Minsk in Belarus via Beijing in China.
“As you may be aware, Zimbabwe was recently voted the best country to visit in the world by Forbes Magazine,” he said.
Minister Ncube said Vision 2030 is achievable under President Mnangagwa’s astute leadership and applauded the delegation for choosing to study in Zimbabwe and gain direct insight into provincial socio-economic developments, which are key pillars in building a shared national agenda.
The visit follows a previous strategic engagement with a high-powered delegation from the Foreign Military Attachés Association, representing Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, accredited to Zimbabwe, held on 2 April 2024 in Gweru.
“I am therefore humbled by the profoundly significant choice of the Midlands Province for this landmark visit, which aims to develop participants’ leadership competencies and deepen their understanding of Defence and National Security issues — skills essential for strategic policy formulation, a path successfully navigated by President Mnangagwa both nationally and within the SADC region,” he said.
Ncube described the Midlands Province as the pinnacle, heartbeat, and resource centre of Zimbabwe, renowned for its rich mineral deposits embedded in the 550km Great Dyke, the largest portion of which lies within the province.
He noted that Midlands leads in the number of devolution-funded projects, with over 1 000 initiatives.
He said under President Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe is thriving through the implementation of the Devolution and Decentralisation Agenda.
“The Midlands Province economy is anchored by mining, agriculture, manufacturing, construction, tourism, wholesale, and retail sectors,” said the minister.
He highlighted several impactful programmes driving provincial growth, job creation, and technology transfer, including the US$1.5 billion Dinson Iron and Steel Plant in Manhize, set to become one of the largest in the region and on the continent, Sino Cement in Gweru, and Livetouch Cement Manufacturing in Kwekwe, as well as the construction of the Shurugwi-Mhandamabwe Road, among others.
Minister Ncube also cited robust mining and manufacturing developments such as the Zim Alloys furnace refurbishment, Intrachem civil explosives manufacturing plant, and the Shurugwi Community Empowerment Gold Milling and Processing Centre.
“Gweru Polytechnic has gone a step further to demonstrate that Education 5.0 produces job creators rather than job seekers, by assisting students to form registered companies, which is commendable.
These companies include Auto Savvy and General Solutions (Pvt) Ltd, Kord Tech Automation & Control, and Tinbug Solutions,” he said.
Minister Ncube also praised the security sector for maintaining peace in communities and cracking down on drug and substance abuse. He said following President Mnangagwa’s directive to Provincial Ministers to tackle the scourge, 78 drug bases have been dismantled in the Midlands Province, with 443 arrests made and contraband including weed cakes, dagga, bronco, and drug-smoking apparatus confiscated.
Representing the students, Brigadier Lindiwe Ngwenya from the Zimbabwe National Army said the tour provided valuable insight into the Government’s development efforts in the Midlands Province through sustainable industrialisation, devolution-funded programmes, and other people-centred initiatives.
She said the tour offered a deeper understanding of the province’s socio-economic landscape.
“We began our tour in Kwekwe yesterday, where we gained an appreciation of milk processing and its entire value chain. Today we are at Bata Shoe Company, and the tour goes beyond mere visits.
“We want our students to understand the socio-economic dynamics of the country. When discussing Zimbabwe, one must look beyond their hometown.
“We will also be visiting traditional leaders, which we believe will help us better understand our culture,” said Brig Ngwenya.
Bongani Ndlovu