Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe
Zimpapers Business Hub
STATUTORY Instrument (SI) 59 of 2026, gazetted last week, will improve the ease of doing business by consolidating 16 previously scattered legal instruments into a single, cohesive regulatory framework governing the import and export of goods, says the Government.
The new instrument repeals earlier statutory provisions and broadens the scope of regulated goods to align with industrial realities and emerging economic trends.
In a statement, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce hailed the development as a significant milestone in the country’s regulatory reform agenda.
“The Ministry of Industry and Commerce wishes to advise the business community, industry stakeholders and the general public of a significant milestone in the nation’s regulatory reform agenda,” it said.
“Following extensive stakeholder consultations and in line with His Excellency the President’s directive to enhance the ease of doing business, the ministry has formally promulgated Statutory Instrument 59 of 2026.”
The ministry noted that the regulation of imports and exports had historically been fragmented across multiple statutory instruments, creating unnecessary complexity.
“Historically, the regulation of imports and exports was dispersed across 16 separate statutory instruments,” said the ministry.
“This fragmented approach often resulted in administrative inefficiencies, confusion among stakeholders and difficulties in identifying the precise regulations applicable to specific goods.
“Such complexity posed unnecessary bottlenecks to trade and industry compliance.”
The new instrument directly addresses these challenges by unifying the legal framework.
“To address this, SI 59 of 2026 consolidates these 16 disparate legal instruments into a single, cohesive framework. The previous instruments have been formally repealed,” said the ministry.
“This consolidation simplifies the regulatory landscape, providing a one-stop reference point for all regulated products, thereby reducing compliance costs and administrative burdens for businesses.”
Beyond mere consolidation, the SI introduces additional regulated goods categories in response to industry developments and stakeholder input.
“In addition to consolidation, the new instrument expands the scope of regulated goods to reflect current industrial realities and emerging trends,” said the ministry.
“These additions are a direct outcome of consultative engagements with manufacturing sectors and industry bodies, ensuring that the regulatory framework remains responsive to the economy’s evolving needs.”
The expanded list of regulated goods now includes water treatment chemicals, footwear, noodles and related pasta products, engineering products, iron and steel products, cement clinker, metal and plastic packaging materials and paper and printed materials.
“This expansion is designed to protect local industry, ensure consumer safety and maintain quality standards across critical sectors of the economy,” said the ministry.
It reaffirmed its commitment to efficient service delivery and urged stakeholders to familiarise themselves with the new regulations.
Industry players have welcomed the move, asserting that it will significantly improve the operating environment for businesses by removing regulatory duplication and uncertainty.
Mr Farai Dube, an industrialist with interests in mining and manufacturing, said the consolidation would go a long way in reducing the time and cost associated with compliance.
“Bringing 16 separate statutory instruments under one framework is a major step towards improving the ease of doing business,” he said.
“Firms will no longer have to navigate multiple regulations to determine compliance requirements, which reduces both administrative costs and delays.”
Mr Dube said the reform aligns Zimbabwe with international best practices.
“Globally, countries are moving towards simplified and digitised regulatory systems,” he said. “This consolidation reduces red tape and positions Zimbabwe as a more competitive and business-friendly destination, which ultimately supports industrial growth.”
The Government maintains that the policy is not an outright ban on imports, but rather a mechanism to manage them in a way that supports domestic production.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Dr Thomas Utete Wushe said last week that the consolidation was designed to simplify regulatory compliance procedures for businesses by reducing fragmentation and administrative complexity.
“The SI 59 of 2026 consolidates what was already requiring an import permit into one SI to allow the ease of doing business,” he said.
“We have included other items such as clinker, shoes, textbooks, noodles and toilet paper, to mention a few. We have the capacity to produce locally.
“I hasten to say the SI 59 of 2026 is just an import management mechanism allowing local companies to produce, and we only permit imports to complement what is not produced locally.”
