LOCAL NEWS

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Government has made significant strides in economic development and public service enhancements, in line with the objectives of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

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 In a pivotal move for Zimbabwe's mining sector, a strategic partnership between IRISE India and Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) heralds the revival of Lynx Mine, signaling economic growth and global market prominence.

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Internal conflicts within the Citizens Coalition for Change-Chamisa faction (CCC-C) continue to escalate as a power struggles erupt between deputy cluster leader, Francisco Masendeke and cluster leader, Patrick Cheza in the Chirumanzu-Zibagwe constituency.

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Dinson Iron and Steel Corporation (DISCO) is set to begin the production of pig iron and steel bullets in June 2024.

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President Emmerson Mnangagwa has approved the licensing of Starlink satellite Internet Services by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ).

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The Commission of Inquiry into the governance of the Harare City Council has officially commenced its investigation.

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Local entities will receive preference in the awarding of public procurement contracts and tenders to give them an edge in the increased competition anticipated under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), to which Zimbabwe is a signatory.

Permanent Secretary for Industry and Commerce, Dr. Thomas Utete Wushe highlighted that local manufacturers gain more opportunities to expand and improve their capabilities, which can lead to a stronger and more diversified industrial base, reducing dependency on foreign imports.

"Money spent on local businesses tends to stay within the local economy, creating a multiplier effect. Local businesses are more likely to spend their earnings locally, further driving economic activity and benefiting other local enterprises," said Dr. Wushe.

Dr. Wushe emphasized that massive projects, such as the rehabilitation of the Harare-Beitbridge Highway and the construction of the Kunzvi, Chivhu, and Gwayi-Shangani Dams, are being accomplished through local public procurement.

"As we move towards Vision 2030 of transforming into an upper middle-income society, the Second Republic has implemented over 5,000 projects and breathed new life into stalled projects, all driven primarily by local public procurement.

“The Government will no longer tolerate failure to implement projects and initiatives due to a lethargic public procurement process. Therefore, I urge the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe to redouble efforts to ensure public procurement supports our developmental drive, which leaves no place and no one behind," said Dr Wushe.

Meanwhile, Buy Zimbabwe chairman Mr. Munyaradzi Hwengwere noted that localization in Zimbabwe had accelerated well, with shelf space in supermarkets reaching about 80 percent. However, he pointed out that the local content of these products remained below 50 percent.

"We need to have a minimum of 50 percent or aspire sometimes to 80 percent or more. We have put in the right infrastructure, but unfortunately, when you are doing the job, you are importing the equipment; you are importing everything. Now we need to deal with the details so that it accelerates economic growth," said Hwengwere.

By supporting local manufacturers and producers, the Government not only enhances the resilience of the domestic economy but also paves the way for sustainable development and competitive participation in regional markets like the AfCFTA. This approach aligns with Zimbabwe's Vision 2030, driving the nation towards becoming an upper middle-income society

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Economists have applauded the Government’s efforts in mobilizing thirteen gold monitoring teams across the country in an effort to boost gold production and strengthen the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency.  

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The Citizens Coalition for Change-Chamisa (CCC-C) has been caught contravening the country’s import regulations by means of a contraband that came through an undesignated entry point in the Madabe area of Mangwe District, Matabeleland South Province.

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The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development has urged winter wheat farmers to speed up their planting in order to get the best yields as well as to avoid encroachment into the next summer rains.