Story by Tamuka Charakupa
A US$70 million cement manufacturing plant under construction in Chegutu is nearing completion, with Chinese investor Shuntai Investments targeting the commencement of operations in September this year.
Once completed, the plant is expected to produce 800 000 tonnes of cement annually.
The investment is expected to boost local industrialisation, create employment opportunities, and contribute significantly to the country’s cement production capacity.
“We are coming to the final stages. We are expecting to complete all construction works and start operating by September this year. At the moment, all civil works are at around 90 percent, and we are now moving to the installation stage,” Administrator at Shuntai Investments, Mr Jack Zhang said.
To power its operations, Mr Zhang says the firm is also setting up a 50-megawatt thermal power plant, with excess energy set to be fed into the national grid.
Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Marian Chombo, who inspected progress at the plant this Monday, reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering an investor-friendly environment that stimulates economic growth.
“As a Government, we are following up on all high-impact projects in the province, assessing progress made, challenges being faced, and also looking for more opportunities. We were supposed to have commissioned this particular project in May, but due to conflicts in the Middle East, they could not access the much-needed materials for completion. As the government, our doors remain open to assist investors to the best of our ability, guided by President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s mantra that ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business,” she said.
Once operational, this plant will become the third cement manufacturing plant in Mashonaland West Province after Whi-Zim in Majunje and Zimbabwe Huaxin Industry in Mt Hampden.
