Buy Zimbabwe Chairman, Mr. Munyaradzi Hwengwere, has called for Zimbabwe’s mining industry to go “beyond extraction” and drive national industrialization and community development.
Speaking on the sidelines of the just ended 2025 Mine Entra Expo in Bulawayo, Hwengwere said the mining sector must invest more in local production to ensure that mineral wealth benefits Zimbabweans.
“The facts are staggering,” he said. “Of the US$2.7 billion miners spent on raw materials last year, only US$540 million was sourced locally. More than US$2.3 billion went to imports from countries like China and South Africa. This means over 70 percent of our mining value leaves Zimbabwe to create jobs and wealth elsewhere.”
He emphasized the importance of stakeholders to channel investments into domestic manufacturing and trade to help mining towns such as Zvishavane, Shurugwi, and Kwekwe grow, while ensuring the sector remains environmentally responsible and community-focused.
Running under the theme “Beyond Extraction: Sustaining the Future of Mining,” this year’s Mine Entra Expo attracted over 240 exhibitors from mining, engineering, transport, and construction. The three-day industrial showcase provided a platform for companies and policymakers to forge partnerships and discuss strategies to strengthen Zimbabwe’s mining value chain and sustainable development.
