Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: City to act on unapproved structures – herald

Trust Freddy

Herald Correspondent

The City of Harare has warned of fresh demolitions, saying all unapproved and partially built structures in illegal settlements will be pulled down as Government and council move to jointly clamp down on unlawful land developments across the capital.

This comes amid revelations that land earmarked for the construction of Highglen Stadium has been completely taken over by land barons, with individuals continuing to build houses on the site despite full knowledge that completed structures were previously flattened on the same grounds.

Several other public amenity spaces across the capital — including land designated for schools, recreational parks and sports facilities — have similarly been invaded and illegally subdivided by land syndicates. In a public notice issued yesterday, the City of Harare announced that the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe, will early next week lead a joint inspection tour of all identified illegal settlements alongside municipal authorities.

“Unapproved structures, whether completed or partially built, will be demolished in line with applicable statutes,” reads part of the notice.

The local authority ordered an immediate halt to all unauthorised construction activities, including land clearing and trenching taking place without municipal approvals or valid legal titles.

“Any ongoing construction, land clearing, trenching or building work taking place without official municipal approval or valid legal title must stop immediately,” the statement added.

According to the City, the upcoming ministerial tour will inspect non-compliant sites to pave the way for immediate enforcement actions and the prosecution of offenders.

“Individuals, syndicates or illegal land barons selling, buying or building on unallocated State or council land will face swift arrest and prosecution under the full weight of the law,” read the statement.

Prospective home-seekers and residents have been sternly warned against acquiring land or paying money to unauthorised individuals promising land regularisation, with authorities clarifying that the Ministry will not protect or compensate anyone engaging in illicit transactions. “Order and lawful land administration will be restored without exception,” council said.

This fresh warning comes at a time when Harare City Council is already on record stating that it holds over 37 High Court orders to evict illegal settlers and demolish more than 5,000 structures in high-density suburbs such as Kuwadzana, Budiriro, Glen View and Mabvuku.

However, previous attempts to execute these court orders and roll out citywide demolitions never materialised after the central Government intervened and halted the exercise, insisting that no demolitions should take place.

To bypass municipal oversight, land barons have reportedly exploited a legal loophole based on the premise that once a structure is completed and occupied for 24 hours, it cannot be demolished without a formal court order.

Exploiting this tactic, syndicates organise rapid night-time building drives, erecting two-roomed structures in as little as 48 hours to establish residency before authorities can intervene.

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Source: Timely payments payoff, as GMB maize intake doubles – herald

Edgar Vhera

Specialist Writer – Agribusiness

Farmers have sold 400,193 tonnes of maize this year – more than double the previous level.

The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) led the charge as its purchases surged 323 percent, driven by farmers’ growing confidence from timely payments.

The Agricultural Marketing Authority’s (AMA) market update dated August 14 showed that maize acquisition by all buyers had risen by 108 percent from 192 020 tonnes in 2025 to 400 193 tonnes this year as the marketing season reached its peak.

GMB’s maize intake rose from 29 814 to 126 058 tonnes, a 323 percent surge, followed by the Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange (ZMX), which increased 130 percent from 10 437 to 24 026 tonnes.

Other private buyers’ purchases rose 65 percent from 151 769 to 250 109 tonnes.

Farmers who sold their agricultural produce to the GMB this season have acknowledged receipt of both foreign and local currency components timeously and lauded GMB for the development.

The Treasury released US$5 million and ZiG40 million to the GMB last week towards farmer payments for grain delivered during the 2026 marketing season.

GMB chief executive, Dr Edison Badarai, last week said: “Further to the US$5 million received, GMB also got ZiG40 million towards farmer payments. This brings the total cumulative payments to ZiG329 million and US$27 million.

This vital funding underscores Government’s steadfast commitment to agriculture, a key sector driving Zimbabwe’s economy.”

The GMB also settled 100 percent of its previous outstanding farmer payment obligations from the 2024/25 season.

Some farmers affiliated to the Zimbabwe Agricultural Think Tank (ZATT) social grouping concurred that GMB paid them all their dues last week.

One farmer who requested anonymity said he received the first payment through his Nostro account immediately after selling his sorghum and maize this year and got the local currency portion on Thursday last week.

“The GMB has lived up to its promise to pay on time. I received all my outstanding ZiG payments. Morale among farmers who sold their crops to GMB this time is high. We hope they continue on this path and surely agricultural development is assured,” he said.

A GMB revival enthusiast, Mr Joram Matsvimbo, also posted a message on the ZATT platform acknowledging that he had been given his foreign currency component immediately after sale sometime in June and had been waiting for the ZiG portion, which hit his account last week Thursday.

“I am optimistic that the GMB payment issues have been fixed, and rains permitting, the rural story will change very quickly, as farmers want prompt payment more than free inputs.

“Despite the delay in ZiG payments, the GMB story is looking great and what is left is a marketing effort to alert farmers to the development. If this commitment continues, the country’s strategic grain reserves (SGR) will be full in less than three years,” he said.

Government, under National Development Strategy 2 (NDS 2) 2026-30, promised to pay farmers on time.

“To support SGR, prompt payments for maize deliveries to GMB will be given priority.

‘‘In this regard, at the onset of NDS 2, the Government will clear all outstanding payments owed to farmers by the GMB and future deliveries under NDS 2 will be paid within one month of delivery,” reads the NDS 2 document.

Under NDS 1, deliveries to GMB indicate that a significant portion of maize output under the Government programme was not being marketed through the board.

This was caused by the challenge of delayed payments by the GMB for delivered produce, forcing farmers to withhold grain, thereby exaggerating domestic shortfalls of maize in the country.

“This situation often creates pressures for grain imports by millers who end up rewarding other countries’ farmers.

“Addressing this challenge is critical to ensuring that the domestic agro-processing value chain draws feedstock from locally produced maize,” the NDS 2 statement says.

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Source: Strong forex inflows lift reserves, strengthen Zim’s external position – herald

Nelson Gahadza

Senior Business Reporter

Zimbabwe’s foreign currency position strengthened significantly in the half-year to June 2026, driven by export earnings and diaspora remittances, surging 47,8 percent to US$10,72 billion, bolstering the country’s capacity to meet external obligations.

This helped push usable reserves held by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to US$1,7 billion by the end of July.

Presenting the 2026 Mid-Term Monetary Policy Statement, RBZ Governor Dr John Mushayavanhu said the strong earnings strengthened the country’s external position, providing greater capacity to meet external payment obligations and support stability in the foreign exchange market.

Foreign currency receipts rose to US$10,72 billion in the six months to June 2026, from US$7,25 billion received during the corresponding period last year.

Dr Mushayavanhu said the increase was largely driven by stronger export receipts and diaspora remittances, with the higher inflows exceeding foreign currency payments of US$7,30 billion during the period.

“The robust (economic) growth momentum for the country has supported a 47,8 percent increase in foreign currency inflows during the first half of the year, which amounted to US$10,72 billion as of 30 June 2026.

“The higher foreign currency inflows exceeded the cumulative foreign currency payments of US$7,30 billion, recorded between January and June 2026,” he said.

According to the MPS, the increase in receipts was dominated by export proceeds, which rose 90,7 percent to US$7,53 billion from US$3,95 billion in the first half of 2025.

Export proceeds accounted for 70,3 percent of total foreign currency receipts, underlining the continued importance of the export sector in generating liquidity for the economy.

Mining was the major contributor to the export surge, with earnings rising to US$6,21 billion from US$2,81 billion, representing a 121,3 percent increase.

Gold remained the biggest driver within the mining sector, with receipts increasing 176 percent to US$3,82 billion from US$1,38 billion.

Platinum earnings rose 82,8 percent to US$1,46 billion, while lithium ore and concentrates increased 78,2 percent to US$382,4 million.

Chrome ore and ferrochrome receipts also rose 60,1 percent to US$239,5 million. Tobacco, another important source of foreign exchange, generated US$967,6 million, up 23,5 percent from US$783,7 million recorded in the same period last year.

According to Dr Mushayavanhu, the strong export performance was complemented by an increase in diaspora remittances, which rose 41,4 percent to US$1,55 billion from US$1,09 billion.

“Remittances accounted for 14,4 percent of total foreign currency receipts, providing another important source of hard currency at a time when Zimbabwe continues to manage its transition towards greater monetary and exchange-rate stability,” he said.

According to the MPS, other sources of foreign currency also recorded mixed movements. Foreign direct investment increased 126,8 percent to US$269,9 million, while income from foreign investments rose 35,9 percent to US$88,9 million.

However, private loan proceeds declined by 33,1 percent to US$984,9 million, while receipts from non-governmental organisations fell 46,1 percent to US$296,6 million.

Meanwhile, the stronger inflow position translated into an improvement in reserves.  “Reflecting the increased foreign exchange inflows, reserves increased to US$1,7 billion by the end of July 2026, equivalent to approximately 1,7 months of import cover,” Dr Mushayavanhu said.

He added that the reserves were also supported by gold purchases and in-kind royalties, highlighting the combined effect of foreign exchange generation and reserve accumulation measures.

Dr Mushayavanhu said the improved reserve position has strengthened the central bank’s ability to intervene in the interbank foreign exchange market and meet bona fide foreign payment requirements.

“The foreign currency reserves supported the Reserve Bank’s strategic intervention in the interbank foreign exchange market, ensuring that all bona fide foreign payments are met,” he said.

He also noted that the increased availability of foreign exchange has consequently supported exchange-rate stability.

During the first half of 2026, the ZiG/US dollar exchange rate moved within a range of ZiG25 to ZiG27 per US dollar, while the parallel-market premium averaged around 15 percent.

The improvement in the external position was further reflected in the current account, which strengthened to an estimated surplus of US$1,3 billion in the first half of 2026 from US$248 million during the same period in 2025.

However, the gains in foreign currency receipts are being matched by rising demand for foreign exchange.

Foreign payments through authorised dealers increased 44,9 percent to US$7,3 billion during the first six months of the year.

Trade-related payments accounted for 81 percent of total payments, with US$2,7 billion, or 37 percent, going towards raw materials, intermediate goods and capital goods.

Fuel imports alone rose 64,6 percent to about US$1,4 billion from US$853,5 million, reflecting higher international energy prices.

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Source: Councils urged to attract investment – herald

Midlands Bureau

MIDLANDS Provincial Affairs and Devolution Secretary Dr Edgar Seenza has challenged local authorities to enhance service delivery and remove red tape to make their districts more attractive to investors, warning that poor municipal performance stifles economic growth.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the US$2.5 million Nichrut College in Shurugwi’s Donga area recently, Dr Seenza said inefficient local governance not only deterred potential investors, but also hampered the overall pace of development.

“I challenge local authorities to make themselves more attractive to investors by providing efficient service delivery, as well as removing bottlenecks that make it difficult for investors to set up businesses swiftly,” he said.

The college project is being financed by Shurugwi-born entrepreneur Mr Nicholas Gara, with construction scheduled to begin in September. Dr Seenza described local authorities as the “drivers” of the Government’s devolution and decentralisation agenda, urging them to fully embrace investment promotion within their jurisdictions.

“To this end, I implore our local authorities, who are the drivers of the devolution and decentralisation agenda at local level, to fully embrace investment promotion in their areas of jurisdiction by promoting ease of doing business and strengthening service delivery guided by global best practice,” he said.

The Secretary noted that private investments of this nature are essential for revitalising local economies and reducing over-reliance on traditional industries. He added that the education sector, in particular, offers a strategic outlet for channelling locally generated capital while simultaneously expanding social infrastructure.

“Investment in education represents an opportunity to channel locally generated capital into a different segment of the economy, whilst simultaneously expanding social infrastructure,” Dr Seenza said.

He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to ensuring public and private investment work in tandem as the Second Republic pursues infrastructure development, modernisation, and industrialisation. The Nichrut project, he said, aligns with national policy encouraging public-private partnerships and indigenous enterprise.

The college is expected to create more than 100 jobs during its construction phase, with additional permanent teaching, administrative, and support positions once it becomes operational.

“I am reliably informed that construction of Nichrut Private College will commence in September this year and will offer employment to more than 100 people. The college therefore gives Shurugwi an immediate construction project, whilst potentially creating permanent teaching, administrative and support-service employment once operational,” said Dr Seenza.

He also praised Mr Gara for his sustained investments across mining, agriculture, and sport, saying the Government wants districts to harness their own entrepreneurs as a source of development capital.

In response, Mr Gara said the project complements the Second Republic’s infrastructure development drive under Vision 2030.

“The project will generate more than 100 jobs during construction,” he said.

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Source: Parliamentary Committee urges councils to improve roadworks delivery – herald

Thupeyo Muleya

Beitbridge Bureau

THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Development has noted progress by local authorities in using funds disbursed for road rehabilitation and maintenance, but wanted them to improve service delivery and ensure roadworks are durable.

The committee, which visited Beitbridge Rural District Council on Wednesday, is conducting nationwide oversight visits to assess the state of service delivery by local authorities and how councils are using funds and fuel allocated by the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA).

Committee chairperson Cde Tawanda Karikoga said the team had so far visited four councils as part of its constitutional mandate.

“We are carrying out one of our constitutional mandates as the Parliament Portfolio Committee for Transport and Infrastructure Development.”

“Today we visited Beitbridge RDC to ensure that they used ZINARA funds and fuel allocated to them on projects that benefit the people,” said Cde Karikoga.

The visits were verifying compliance and ensuring roadworks were aligned with the aspirations of Zimbabweans for an improved road network.

“What we have realised is most of the councils have to some extent used the funds in a correct manner. And we commend them for that. But in some instances, not much was done and as Parliament we also go further on actually what transpired.”

Cde Karikoga encouraged local authorities to act promptly once funds were disbursed and to prioritise quality in road construction.

“Once funds are given to the local authority or to any road authority, we expect them to use those funds, not keep them in their accounts or misuse them,” he emphasised.

Councils were encouraged to focus on constructing roads that had a longer lifespan to reduce recurrent maintenance costs and improve mobility for communities, farmers and businesses.

Cde Karikoga said although progress had been recorded, delays in implementation remained a concern in some councils and Parliament would follow up on the issues raised during the oversight visits.

The committee will compile a report containing recommendations for ZINARA and local authorities to improve efficiency and accountability as the oversight exercise continues in other districts.

Local authorities across the country have been receiving ZINARA allocations for road rehabilitation as part of their share of funds raised. The funds are being used to address potholes, grade rural roads and undertake drainage works.

Beitbridge RDC chief executive officer Mrs Kiliboni Mbedzi welcomed Parliament’s oversight role, saying it helped councils remain accountable in the use of public resources.

“The importance of this kind of visit, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee especially this one which was here, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Development, is that they come for the verification process of the use of Zinara funds and fuel disbursement,” said Mrs Mbedzi.

“So that monitoring on its own, it checks on how we do service delivery. It also ensures that there’s compliance within council on the use of the funds and fuels.”

Mrs Mbedzi said the committee had made several recommendations, including the need for the council to have a maintenance plan and policy for its equipment.

“So far what we have learnt a lot from the team. Their recommendations were that we should have a maintenance plan for our equipment and maintenance policy.

“That will ensure that if a grader breaks down, it doesn’t take long to get back to service our roads. So, we are going to implement that,” she said.

“They also recommended that we should reorient our councillors on their responsibilities, duties and responsibilities of which they recommended that to the DDC’s office.”

Mrs Mbedzi acknowledged that equipment breakdowns had affected the council’s ability to use the allocated funds.

“We have had some challenges in using the funds on the ground because of grader breakdowns and the life of our grader which is a bit long, which is now giving us problems,” she said.

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