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Zimbabwe’s Roads: A Deadly Toll as Accidents Mount Harare – The nation of Zimbabwe is once again grappling with the devastating reality of its perilous roads, following a series of horrific accidents that claimed multiple lives in mid-July 2026. These recent tragedies, occurring within days of each other on major highways, underscore a persistent and […]

The post Notorious accident blackspot kills 2 more along Masvingo road, 4 others killed in Kombi and Haulage Truck head-on crash first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

Source: Two dead, two injured in Harare-Masvingo road crash -Newsday Zimbabwe

Two people died while two others were injured when a vehicle they were travelling in veered off the road and plunged into Sebakwe River over the weekend.

The accident occurred on Saturday  at the 218-kilometre peg along the Harare–Masvingo Road.

In a statement, police said the accident involved a Mazda B1800 utility vehicle carrying four occupants.

The injured were rushed to hospital, and the deceased’s identities are yet to be disclosed.

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Source: Varun leads race to acquire a controlling stake in Dairibord – herald

Business Reporter
PEPSI bottler, Varun Beverages, has emerged as the leading prospective buyer for a controlling stake in Zimbabwe’s largest dairy and food processor, Dairibord Holdings Limited.
This follows a cautionary statement issued by the Dairibord board, which advised shareholders that three of its major blockholders—Equivest Asset Management, Mega Market and Mutare Mart & Exchange—had issued a joint notice disclosing that they had entered into negotiations with an unnamed third party to sell their collective shareholding.
Combined, the three entities hold a commanding block of shares representing over 51 percent of Dairibord’s issued ordinary shares, meaning that if successful, the transaction will result in a total change of control.
Mega Market is the largest shareholder in Dairibord, holding a 23,92 percent stake. This is closely followed by Stanbic Nominees, which holds 23,87 percent of the company.
Serrapin Investments is the third-largest shareholder with 12,04 percent, while Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Zimbabwe Limited holds 10,65 percent shareholding.
The Mining Industry Pension Fund rounds out the top five, holding 4,93 percent of the total stock.
The top five shareholders own 75,41 percent of Dairibord, leaving the remaining 24,59 percent in the hands of other, smaller retail and minority investors.
While the official cautionary statement did not name the buyer, market intelligence strongly points to Varun Beverages positioning itself to take over the dairy giant.
“A few potential buyers are being mentioned, but Varun Beverages has come out as the leading contender,” said a source speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not permitted to talk to the press.
Market sources, however, indicated that Varun has quietly been buying up smaller tranches of shares from open-market holders.
Another source familiar with the developments said that while Varun reportedly expressed interest in a control stake, no formal communication has been made with Dairibord management.
The source also said the stake available to Varun was still below 51 percent and the beverages giant has been mopping up shares from the open market.
Another source, however, said Varun was not the only buyer looking for a controlling stake in Dairibord.
“There are also other players being mentioned,” said the source.
Varun is an Indian-headquartered multinational and one of the largest franchise bottlers of PepsiCo products in the world outside of the United States.
The company manufactures, bottles and distributes a massive portfolio of beverages, including Pepsi, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, 7Up and Aquafina.
Varun officially entered the Zimbabwean market in 2018 with the launch of a state-of-the-art greenfield bottling plant in Harare.
Since its entry, the company has hugely disrupted the local beverage landscape through an aggressive low-cost pricing model, rapid capacity expansions and an extensive, highly visible retail distribution network.
Beyond beverages, Varun has begun expanding into the food and snacks sector—having secured a licence to manufacture and distribute PepsiCo snack brands, such as Simba Munchiez.

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Source: Fidelity unveils Zimbabwe’s first large-scale residential piped gas project –Newsday Zimbabwe

HARARE, Jul. 14 (NewsDay Live) — Fidelity Life Assurance says it is rolling out Zimbabwe’s first large-scale residential piped gas project at its Southview Fidelity Park housing development, supplying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) directly to more than 4,000 homes through an underground distribution network.

The pilot project, being implemented by Southview Energy Company, marks a significant step in the country’s residential energy infrastructure as demand grows for cleaner and more reliable household energy.

 

 

Southview Energy projects director Weddie Makomichi said the system is designed to deliver LPG to homes through a centralized underground reticulation network, operating in a similar manner to water and electricity utilities.

“The Southview piped gas project is a modern, centralized underground liquefied petroleum gas reticulation network designed to deliver clean, safe and continuous energy directly to thousands of residential homes,” Makomichi said.

He said the system would eliminate the need for households to transport and refill gas cylinders while addressing rising demand for affordable and reliable cooking energy.

The first phase is expected to connect about 1,770 households by January next year, with the remaining homes scheduled to be connected by the end of 2027.

 

 

Makomichi described the development as the first large-scale residential piped LPG utility in Zimbabwe and among the largest of its kind in the Southern African Development Community region.

He said the project would create jobs during construction and operation, improve access to clean energy through a utility-based billing model and help diversify Zimbabwe’s energy mix by reducing reliance on the national electricity grid for cooking and water heating.

The company also expects environmental benefits through reduced dependence on firewood and charcoal, alongside improved indoor air quality.

Makomichi said the underground distribution network has been designed to meet international engineering standards and Zimbabwean regulatory requirements. The low-pressure system will incorporate underground storage tanks and pipelines, smart sensors, telemetry, automatic shut-off mechanisms and smart meters to monitor consumption and support billing.

Zimbabwe has increasingly turned to LPG as households and businesses seek alternatives to unreliable electricity supplies and traditional biomass fuels. If successful, the Southview Fidelity Park project could provide a blueprint for similar residential developments across the country and the wider region.

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Source: Private Aviation drives tourism growth -Newsday Zimbabwe

THE country’s tourism industry continues to evolve with private aviation increasingly becoming one of the sector’s most important enablers.

 Charter operators are playing a larger role in connecting international visitors with the country’s diverse tourism offerings, from wildlife safaris to cultural heritage sites.

Zimbabwe Air Safaris is among the operators responding to this changing landscape through the expansion of its charter services and the introduction of a dedicated charter service aimed at high-end travelers, corporate executives, diplomats and international tourists.

Unlike commercial airlines that operate on fixed schedules and routes, charter aviation provides direct access to remote tourism destinations, allowing visitors to maximize their time while experiencing multiple attractions during a single visit.

Zimbabwe’s tourism assets including national parks, safari destinations, heritage sites and luxury lodges are spread across vast distances, making efficient air connectivity a critical component of the visitor experience.

Zimbabwe Air Safaris chief pilot, Anastasios Zaverdinos, believes aviation has become an essential pillar of tourism development.

“By improving access to remote destinations, we contribute directly to tourism growth, investment opportunities and local economic development,” he said.

The introduction of the Pilatus PC-12 NGX aircraft enhances operational capability by providing reliable access to short and remote airstrips while maintaining internationally recognized standards of passenger comfort and safety.

“The investment in modern aircraft demonstrates our long-term commitment to excellence, safety and the continued growth of Zimbabwe’s tourism sector,” Zaverdinos said.

Industry analysts note that improved aviation connectivity generates significant economic spillover effects.

Greater mobility encourages tourists to visit multiple destinations, extending average lengths of stay and increasing expenditure across accommodation providers, safari operators, restaurants and local enterprises.

Business travelers and investors increasingly seek flexible transport solutions that reduce travel time while providing access to destinations beyond the commercial aviation network.

“Our objective is not only to transport passengers, but to contribute meaningfully to the development of tourism, support local communities and promote Zimbabwe as a world-class destination,” Zaverdinos said.

As competition among African tourism destinations intensifies, strong aviation infrastructure is becoming an increasingly important differentiator.

Industry players said premium charter services provide the flexibility, comfort and reliability sought by modern travelers while supporting broader economic development objectives.

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