By Desire Tshuma
HARARE — Zimbabwe has officially launched a review of its Motor Industry Development Policy, with government saying the country must move from importing used vehicles to producing for regional markets.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Engineer T. Chifamba, said the review comes at a critical time as Zimbabwe implements the National Development Strategy 2 and the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy 2 for 2026–2030.
“This review process presents an important opportunity for us to modernize our policy framework so that it remains responsive, forward-looking, and aligned to emerging global trends,” Chifamba said at the opening of an all-stakeholders workshop in Harare.
He warned that countries that fail to adopt new developments in the automotive value chain risk being sidelined from global and regional markets. “Zimbabwe, therefore, cannot afford to remain static,” he said.
Chifamba said the revised policy must position Zimbabwe as an active participant in African automotive value chains, not just a consumer market. The bus and truck value chain has been identified as a strategic priority under Vision 2030.
He said the motor industry has strong linkages with mining, steel, engineering, plastics, lumber, transport, logistics, and energy, making it a critical anchor for broad-based industrialization.
Zimbabwe, Chifamba noted, has strategic minerals, industrial infrastructure, technical skills, and manufacturing capacity to produce buses, trucks, batteries, and automotive components.
He said Zimbabwe spends over US$600 million annually on vehicle imports, mostly second-hand, and about US$100 million on automotive components. He described this as a major opportunity for import substitution, local assembly, and component manufacturing.
The Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency is engaging local and international investors to promote technology transfer and partnerships, with focus on electric vehicles, hybrid technologies, and smart mobility solutions.
Chifamba said success will depend on collaboration between government, industry, financial institutions, academia, and development partners. He also pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area as a gateway to a market of more than 1 billion people and US$3.4 trillion in GDP.
“This workshop provides an important platform for all stakeholders to critically review the existing policy framework, identify gaps, assess emerging opportunities, and collectively develop practical and implementable strategies,” he said.
He urged participants to engage openly and strategically so that the revised policy responds to industrial realities, technological shifts, and regional developments.
“As government, we highly value the role of the private sector, industry associations, academia, financial institutions, research institutions, and development partners in driving industrial transformation,” Chifamba said.
He concluded that a strengthened policy can unlock investment, revitalize local assembly, promote value addition, create jobs, and position Zimbabwe as a regional automotive manufacturing hub.