Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s cement manufacturing industry is poised for a significant capacity boost after Shuntai Cement announced that its new integrated cement plant will commence commercial operations in September 2026, following a US$200 million investment that is expected to strengthen domestic cement production, create employment and support the country’s infrastructure drive.

The project, one of the largest private-sector manufacturing investments in recent years, comprises a US$120 million cement production facility, complemented by investments in dedicated power generation infrastructure designed to ensure reliable energy supply for operations.

The new plant will have a production capacity of 6,000 tonnes of cement per day, positioning it among Zimbabwe’s largest cement manufacturing facilities and significantly expanding the country’s installed production capacity.

As part of its integrated energy strategy, Shuntai is developing a 50-megawatt solar power plant to provide clean energy for the factory, while plans are also underway to construct a 50-megawatt thermal power station. The thermal plant is expected not only to guarantee uninterrupted production but also to generate surplus electricity that could be supplied to Zimbabwe’s national grid, helping ease power shortages affecting industry.

The company expects to employ approximately 400 workers during the initial phase of operations, with total employment projected to rise to between 1,500 and 2,000 jobs as the project expands and downstream activities develop.

Industry analysts say the investment comes at a time when Zimbabwe is accelerating infrastructure development across housing, mining, transport and public works, sectors that continue to drive strong demand for cement and other construction materials.

The additional production capacity is expected to improve domestic supply, reduce the likelihood of periodic shortages and moderate price pressures by increasing competition within the local cement market. Zimbabwe’s cement industry has experienced sustained growth in recent years, underpinned by rising public infrastructure spending, private property development and increased mining investment.

Beyond cement production, the integrated power infrastructure reflects a growing trend among large industrial investors to develop captive energy facilities in response to electricity supply constraints. Combining renewable solar energy with thermal generation is expected to improve operational efficiency while reducing production disruptions caused by power outages.

The investment also aligns with Zimbabwe’s broader industrialisation agenda, which seeks to promote value addition, expand manufacturing capacity and attract large-scale foreign direct investment into strategic sectors of the economy.

Once fully operational, the Shuntai Cement Plant is expected to strengthen Zimbabwe’s self-sufficiency in cement production, support major construction projects, stimulate local supply chains and contribute to employment creation and economic growth, while reinforcing the country’s position as a regional producer of building materials.

The post Shuntai Cement Plant Set to Begin Operations in September 2026 with US$200 Million Investment appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

Justice and Betrayal: Gokwe Teenager Jailed for 15 Years After Raping Biological Sister GOKWE – In a case that has left a community in Gokwe grappling with the dark reality of intra-familial abuse, a 19-year-old man has been sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison for the rape of his 11-year-old biological sister. The […]

The post Sex-loving Gokwe teenager slapped with 15 years in jail for having lula lula with his blood sister first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

A Shadow Over the Diaspora: Zimbabwean Women Brutally Murdered in the UK LONDON, UK – The recent tragic deaths of Nothabo Zandile Tshuma and her two young daughters, Natalie and Nala, in their English home have once again cast a stark and painful spotlight on a disturbing pattern: the brutal murders of Zimbabwean women in […]

The post Long list of Zimbabwean men who brutally killed women in United Kingdom and how they murdered them (SEE PICS) first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

Source: African Peer Review launch tomorrow – herald

Herald Reporter

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will officially launch the African Peer Review Mechanism in Zimbabwe tomorrow, marking a major milestone in the country’s governance and development trajectory as it positions itself among African nations embracing accountability, policy innovation and best-practice sharing.

The launch ceremony, to be held in Harare, comes after Cabinet approved Zimbabwe’s APRM National Programme of Action and follows the country’s successful presentation of its governance review report at continental level.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who chairs the African Peer Review Forum of Heads of State and Government, is expected to participate through his representative, Uganda’s Vice President Jessica Rose Epel Alupo.

The APRM is a voluntary African Union instrument established in 2003 to promote good governance, democracy, economic management and socio-economic development through self-assessment and peer review among member States.

Zimbabwe acceded to the mechanism in 2020 and has since been implementing processes leading to the official launch.

Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Zhemu Soda said preparations for the historic event were progressing smoothly.

“Cabinet received and approved the memorandum on the Zimbabwe African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) National Programme of Action, and preparations for the official launch of the APRM in Zimbabwe,” said Dr Soda.

President Mnangagwa, the minister said, recently presented Zimbabwe’s review report on ‘Economic Governance and Management’ at the 35th Ordinary Session of the APRM Forum.

“The report identified practices for emulation by member States including: Transformative leadership, performance contracting, land reform, village business units under Rural Development 8.0 model, innovation under Heritage Based Education 5.0 and Monetary Policy Revitalisation centred on the “Back -to Basics” Approach.

“Preparations are progressing well for the inaugural official launch of the APRM in Zimbabwe by His Excellency, Dr ED Mnangagwa on July 16, 2026.

“This historic occasion will also be graced by His Excellency, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda and Chairperson of the African Peer Review Forum of Heads of State and Government, who shall be represented by Her Excellency, Major (Rtd) Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, Vice President of the Republic of Uganda,” said Minister Soda.

Zimbabwe’s APRM journey has coincided with the implementation of wide-ranging reforms under the Second Republic, including public sector performance contracting, decentralisation and devolution, education transformation through the Heritage-Based Education 5.0 model, and rural industrialisation initiatives aimed at improving livelihoods and accelerating economic growth.

The National Programme of Action approved by Cabinet is expected to provide a roadmap for implementing recommendations arising from the review process while consolidating gains already recorded in governance, economic management and social development.

The launch is also expected to reinforce Zimbabwe’s commitment to the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the country’s Vision 2030 agenda of attaining an empowered and prosperous upper-middle-income economy.

The post African Peer Review launch tomorrow appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Kanyemba Clinic upgrade boosts outbreak readiness – herald

Fungai Lupande-Mashonaland Central Bureau

GOVERNMENT is upgrading Chapoto Clinic in Kanyemba into a rural hospital to improve healthcare services in the remote border district while strengthening Zimbabwe’s preparedness against cross-border disease outbreaks, including Ebola.

The facility, located near Zimbabwe’s borders with Zambia and Mozambique and serving a region that receives travellers from across the sub-region, has been earmarked for expansion to improve access to specialist healthcare and enhance the country’s capacity to detect, isolate and respond to infectious diseases entering through border communities.

Mashonaland Central Provincial Medical Director Dr Clemence Tshuma revealed the plans during a tour of the facility by the Special Adviser to the President on Monitoring and Implementation of Government Programmes and Projects, Dr Joram Gumbo, last week.

Dr Tshuma said plans to transform Chapoto Clinic into a fully fledged rural hospital date back to 2019, although progress had initially been delayed by funding constraints.

“Initially, this clinic was supposed to be upgraded to a rural hospital. That was in 2019, but unfortunately the funds allocated for the project did not come through,” he said.

Despite the financial setbacks, the province has continued preparing for the expansion by securing additional land through special planning approval, creating sufficient space for the future hospital.

“The space for the clinic has been extended, so we now have that capacity for expansion,” he said.

As part of the preparations, the Ministry of Health and Child Care used funding from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to construct a pharmacy at the facility.

“We prioritised this facility because we were planning for it to become a hospital. We have already constructed a pharmacy in preparation for the upgrade, but unfortunately the rest of the budget has not come,” said Dr Tshuma.

The planned hospital is expected to significantly improve access to healthcare for communities in Kanyemba, many of whom currently travel long distances to access advanced medical services.

It will also strengthen disease surveillance and emergency response in one of Zimbabwe’s key border districts, which is vulnerable to the importation of infectious diseases through cross-border movement.

Dr Tshuma said the province had already designated Chapoto Clinic and Mvurwi Hospital as isolation and treatment centres should an Ebola outbreak occur.

“We have designated two health facilities to handle an outbreak. This is one of them and the other is Mvurwi Hospital. Before we have cases, we are already prepared,” he said.

He said health workers had undergone specialised training in infection prevention and control, while medicines, medical supplies and personal protective equipment had been stockpiled to improve outbreak preparedness.

However, he noted that activating the designated Ebola treatment centres would require the temporary suspension of normal healthcare services at those facilities.

“If we have cases in these two facilities, they will stop functioning as they are now. They will stop seeing general cases, meaning we have to find alternative places for patients who normally come here,” he said.

The province has also strengthened health surveillance at Kanyemba Border Post by deploying environmental health officers and increasing community-based disease monitoring.

However, Dr Tshuma said several critical gaps remain, including inadequate accommodation for health personnel stationed at the border post, limited office space, shortages of thermal screening equipment and unreliable water supplies.

“Because the officers commute from here to the border post, it is difficult for them to operate effectively. We have allocated them a vehicle to assist them, although the steepness of the road remains a challenge,” he said.

He said the province required at least four non-contact thermal screening cameras, each costing approximately US$4 000, to strengthen disease surveillance at border entry points.

“We need cameras that can take temperatures without physical contact. They are expensive, and we currently do not have funding for them,” he said.

A reliable water supply also remains a major challenge.

Authorities have identified a site for a borehole and hope the Presidential Borehole Scheme will support the project.

“For this clinic to properly handle Ebola cases, we need to ensure a reliable water supply. We hope the Presidential Borehole Scheme will assist us because water is also a challenge for general services,” he said.

Dr Tshuma also highlighted persistent challenges with emergency patient referrals, saying the absence of a dedicated ambulance continues to hamper transfers to Chitsungo Hospital.

“Our biggest challenge is that we do not have an ambulance to transfer patients to Chitsungo. Some patients end up seeking treatment in Zambia because of that,” he said.

He added that improving ambulance services and strengthening blood supply systems would significantly enhance emergency healthcare delivery in the district.

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